a desert fete

It was about 4 years ago, we had been up to LA to see an exhibit at the Hammer Museum showing modern American works. On the drive home Ben was musing about what an odd, avant garde name Man Ray was, especially for the time that he lived; was it a self given name? When we got home we did some research (thanks, wikipedia). He was born Emmanuel Radnitzky, the family later changing their surname to Ray to avoid discrimination as immigrants. At this time the artist, who was usually referred to by his nickname Manny, started going by Man.

The next day we were on the front porch spending time with the two neighborhood strays that we were slowly but surely on their way to moving in with us. What shall we call him? He is so, stunning. And sleek. But also at times a clumsy dork. And so we named him Manray (or Mannie when he was being silly) and his sister (mother? lover?) who was not with us long, who stayed unthinkably thin, Twiggy.