Speedy Jim

When I first got on-line in the early, innocent days of the Internet, I e-mailed and posted articles on Usenet with my real name. When it became apparent that not everyone on the 'Net had good intentions, I cast about for a suitable Nom de Guerre.  

The name that stuck was "Speedy Jim". But how did the name come about? Did it have to do with methamphetamine? Race car driver in a VW? Romantic prowess?

Here's the real story:  While running my plumbing business, I developed a reputation for always being on-time. Customers may not understand the intricacies of the work one does, but they will always remember the guy who showed up at the appointed hour.  We also made an effort to get the job done as promptly as possible and to always have the tools and supplies needed on the truck.

On this particular day, I had scheduled an 8:00 AM job at the home of a young married woman. A couple of minutes before 8:00, I pulled into their driveway and went to the side door. The door was opened by her 4 year old son who recognized me from earlier jobs and called out loud enough for the neighbors to hear. "MOM!  Speedy Jim is here!"

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