Biden Picks Caroline Kennedy as Ambassador

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

38. Not that long ago.

My real first name is Sheila. The first time I went to Australia, in 1970, people would sort of giggle when I gave them my name. Same with my next two visits in 1972 and 1975. Then, in 2001, there was zero reaction to my name.

In 1973 or 74 I was in London, staying with some friends of a friend, and those friends were Aussies on the typical world tour many of them took back then. More than once, while in the pub with them, one of them would say something like, "What kind of a dumb sheila do you take me for?" and I'd react. They'd then laugh at me and say they weren't talking about me. After a while I realized that just because someone said "Sheila" they weren't referring to or talking to me.