Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

“High Yo Fitzie! Hi Mrs. F can Fitzie come out to play?”

Remember when you’d stand outside your friends’ house and “call” for them? Often we’d use a nickname. This is the second story I’ve done on the nicknames we had for each other growing up in Somerville. I asked my Somerville friends to try to recall those shortened names we had for each other and here they are.

GIQ, MTA, Speedy, Hammer, Rabbit, Soupy, Jigga, Happy Harry, Pappy, Neutzie, Boz, Bargs.

Brownie, Goofah, Bibbles, Bibsy, Butchie, Buddy, Bam Bam, Cookie, Chicky, Ferd, Ferd Jr., Norman The Formanizer, Turk, Jello, Murph, Sully, Fitzie, Red, Bolo, Obie, Limey, Oakie, Big Ed, Saint, Dico, Rocky, Son, Junior, Barney Fife, Straty, Sweet Lou, The Skipper, Gailsy Wailsy, Jerko, Mingo, Hendo.

Pistol Pete, Wolfman Steve, Bogus, Chico, Ozzie, Babe, Spud, Mary the Moon Lady, Crazy Mary, Spooky, Beaver, Skinhead, Critter, Peanuts, Tucker, Loopy, Lumpy, Dico Turk, Butch the Ball Eater, Patty Pelican, Johnny O, Fat Engine, Johnny C, Tony C, Louie Spats, Son, The Ol’ Boy, Duke, Mac, Del, Stef, Bone Rack,Ton, TC, Trainwreck, TJ, JC, Big Joe.

Bob Slurp Drool, Dirtbomb, Nubsie, Arnold Ziffel, JoJo, Animal, Milky, Reefa, Winkle, One Ball, Chooch, Harry The Hat, Bibbles, Bam Bam, Cookie, Jonesy, Buck, Bucky, Zucki, Cougar, Froggy, Sudsy, Big Ed.

Lefty, Frenchie, Reefs, Pistol Pete, Bogus, Koo Koo Charlie, Bobby Donuts, Bobby Polaroid, Johnny Tickets, Boom Boom Bates, Ment, Dippo, Fast Eddie (a few), Fast Phil (at least two Fast Phils), Anto, Snake, Fat Matt, Stretch, Shorty, Jim Jim, Jigsy, Tommy O, Bones, Cuz, Chuckie, Chubba, Moose, O’D, Digga, Monk, Otis, Skunk, Pie, Head Quarter, Raballic, Rat, Flea, Worm, Buzzy, Dizzy, Barry, Spooky, Val, Beaver Creek, Skinhead, Critter.

Peanuts, Slim, Tucker, Loopy, Lumpy, Rubbish D, KPU, Lil’ Bit, IROC, Fishy, Ang, MB, Pinto, Enema, Johnny D, Rockin’ Bob, Cappy, Knighty, Foto, Zuccie, Joey Boy, Cabbie, Legs, Judd, Buttons, Beansie, Ronaldo, Smitty, Joe the Glassman, Buddha, Mingo, Deepa, Bear, Sunshine, Little Joe, Fuji, Tubba, Muffa, Bunny, Chick, Mr. P, Mr. D, Shipwreck, Mrs. O, Ace, and Sonny.

I’m certain there are plenty more, but I sure got a smile remembering the fun times that some of these names brought to mind. Another walk down memory … (name) lane.

Special thanks to Ron Bargoot for the great photo.