My father's name

My father's name was not the usual, common, Bob, William or John. No, if you knew his mother, you would know that would never do. My father was given the name of Ballif as his first name. This happened to be his mother's maiden name. He was named Ballif Howard Evans, although I actually do not know where the Howard came from. I'm sure that he had to spell it for everyone, and he was actually known as "Bal" most of his life. I love the name and have given it to my second son, Craig Ballif Smith. Now, the flamboyant mother that gave him the name...Grammie, or Zelnora Ballif Evans, was the classiest person I have even known. From the mahogany dining table with glass straws to the pink satin Christmas balls with pearls and sequins on a pink flocked tree. She was a banker's daughter through and through. She loved to wear hats and people loved to see what great thing she would turn up in on Easter Sunday. That was my grandmother, and I am grateful that she gave her son a name that I could pass along to my son.

Carol Evans Smith