Fishing for A Compliment?

 

With a last name like Gish, I'm always susceptible to people making "clever" rhymes about it, usually involving small animals that swim in the sea. 

This began in junior high, happened in the temple once when the man called me "Sister Fish," and continued in university when 

Papa Jim told me he wanted to set me up with one of his students.

"I have a student I want to set you up with.  He's great.  You'll love him.  He's almost out of the hospital!"...

and if that didn't do enough to beat romance into my soul, he continued with, "Oh but his last name is Fish."

I'd be Sister Gish Fish for the rest of my life.  No thank you.  Needless to say, we didn't work out.

Well the trend has followed me to England.  Last week Liverpool had a large commemorative event for World War One.  There were different stalls set up in the town center and the missionaries were involved in a family history stall, talking to people about their families and helping them set up their own familysearch.org accounts. 

Well one of the members from the Crosby ward asked if I was related to Lillian Gish.  I replied yes (I love it when people know her, I feel soooo important and I usually follow up a bit smugly by asking if they want my autograph.) and she continued the conversation by telling me a story about street hawkers long ago with cockney accents.

Apparently the big thing to do in that *time was to get people's attention by making a rhyme.  Example: Hey I like your whistle translates into, Hey I like your suit.  Because a whistle goes with whistle and flute and flute rhymes with suit.  Well guess how you'd order fish from a chippy shop?  You'd order a Lillian Gish. 

And just like that every missionary within earshot permanently formed a connection between me and fish.  My link to fame has been permanently stained.

humbly,

Sister Gish  (Fish)

*This must have been the time before television and around the prohibition because it's possibly the lamest pastime I've heard of. 

I don't think it would have worked on me. 

"hey nice whistle"  "hey nice... shut up.  It rhymes with ... don't ever speak to me again.  you're tacky and i hate you."