Do I look like a "Sparky"?

I love flying Southwest Airlines, and when you combine their general efficiency with their low prices (all relative to the other carriers), it's the clear number one air travel option for me. I feel sorry for people who aren't served by Southwest. We drive an hour-plus away just for the privilege. It's worth it.

This Christmas, the flight attendants on my family's journey were bursting with Christmas cheer. I enjoy flying around the holidays because the staff is usually in a good mood. Sometimes they're in a GREAT mood, hopefully because they're getting double time and a half and not because they discovered a secret cache of mini liquor bottles.

On our way up north, a friendly attendant asked us what beverage we wanted. My wife wanted a Dr. Pepper that we could share. The attendant asked why we didn't just get one each, and we replied we didn't want too many cups in case our baby tipped one over. Well, she told us, she could give us a lid on one. Great! Problem solved.

"So what do you want, Sparky?" she then asked me.

"Sparky"? What had I done to deserve that? I'm pretty sure that since Charles M. Schulz died, the number of grown men who LIKE being called that is countable on one finger. If a dude called me that, I'd be tempted to slug the blockhead.

But she said it with just the right amount of holiday warmth to make it not a smart-ass remark, but rather a friendly smart-ass remark.

When she returned later with the drinks, she gave my wife the makeshift sippy cup, then presented me my own beverage by announcing, "You don't get a lid, Sparky. You're a big boy, so we're gonna trust you not to spill it."

Still friendly, but it was getting ridiculous. Of course my wife loved it.

The attendant got one more "Sparky" in on the flight, a subtle one as she collected the trash. By that point I didn't even flinch, though part of me wondered...

Do I look like a Sparky? I thought that name was the exclusive moniker of the very young or the very old. In 40 years or so, I might be ready to set a spell on the porch, tilt my mesh cap, and hear the little ones call me "Grandpa Sparky," but as I write this today, it's just too soon, dagnab it.