RB

Many people have asked/commented on the initials I use for my hubby. They know TP is me but haven't heard the story behind RB. So I have decided to let you all know the story behind the nickname that he has had for many, many years.

It all started when he was about 16 years old. He worked at a recycling place called Valley Metals. His dad was the manager, and his two older brothers also worked there along with many of his friends. Since he was only 16 was not allowed to work the big machinery. You have to be 18 for that. So he got put on all the dirty clean up jobs like sweeping the entire lot and things like that.

Now you have to understand my hubbies name is Mike. It is a very common name. In fact he was friends with 2 other Mikes. Now for those of you with common names you understand what it is like to always hear your name and they never want you. That or you hear it and you figure it's not you they want when it really is. You get the picture.

Well one day while at work RB was cleaning underneath a truck scale. One of his friend from work made the comment about how he looked like a "rat." The other friend thought that was hilarious and started calling him "rat boy" from then on. Since most of his family and friends worked there they all heard the nickname and so they starting calling him "rat boy" at home as well. This worked well when he was hanging around other people named mike because he finally knew if they were talking to him or not.

Years passed and RB finally moved on to other jobs. However, his friends still called him rat boy." When we started dating one friend in particular always called him "RB" for short of "rat boy."

Now you also have to understand that he was not the only one of his friends to have a nickname. In fact some of his friends don't even know his first name. Once while going out to eat they got a table under his name. Some girls showed up later and the one asked for rats and frogs table. Good thing at least one of the friends knew his name because the waiter looked at her like she was crazy. RB has friends named "frog", "z-taco", and yet another is "berry."

So now you have heard the story behind RB's nickname, aka rat boy.