'KARLA DORMAN!!' she screamed
at the top of her lungs, 'That hurt!'
I turned around, thinking someone

was calling me. No one else was
around. 'Yes? What do you want?'

I asked. 'I'm not talking to you,' she
sneered. 'But -- but -- you said my
name -- ' I began, but she cut me
off. 'Just who in the Karla Dorman
do you think you are?' she said.

'You'd better leave now or I'm
calling the cops.' 'I'm her,' I said,
'Karla Dorman.' Her face went
pale and with trembling hands,
she pulled out her cell and dialed

9-1-1. 'I'm leaving now,' I said, an
apology on my lips. 'I didn't mean
to cause any trouble.' Walking
away quickly, I thought, This is ---
weird. Further on down the way,

I heard a man yelling at his wife.
Every other word was 'Karla
Dorman!' Funny. I didn't know
them. Why was he using my
name in vain? Just then, ten

thousand more voices assaulted
my ears, all blaspheming the
name I had been given at birth:
Since when had I become
important enough to be a curse?