“Chocolate and Vanilla, Black and White” Composed by Lauren Kahn
Lauren
is a foreigner, yet one of your best friends. Lauren is a gift wrapped in black
and white newspaper, patiently waiting for its receiver to open it to reveal the
many layers of colorful tissue paper. Lauren is spelled with an invisible stop
sign at the end like the word “halt.” It is a frigid sound waiting at the tip of
your tongue for a more pleasant note to finish with. The sound is like drinking
grape medicine without an overflowing glass of water to clarify your mouth.
Lauren comes first and last. It is both number one and one million. It is the
name at the top of everybody’s piece of paper as well as the section of the
“most popular girl’s name” in the monthly magazine. Before we realize it, Lauren
will become the first name to be published in the dictionary. It will become a
word in our daily vocabulary.
Yet,
what will it mean? In the name book it means “crowned with laurels.” For me, it
evokes many different feelings and thoughts. My definition of Lauren would have
to be left blank for it is too diverse a meaning to pose as a definition. There
are at least one million different people throughout history and around the
world with the name Lauren. But, the L in my name Lauren derives from Lea, my
great-grandmother. She was a proud woman, full of dignity. She was loved and
respected. Like her flaming red hair, She was copious of strong characteristics.
Lea could make everyone laugh at her dirty jokes. She was a bridge player as
keen as an alligator spying its prey in the swamp. Yet she was as elegant as a
flamingo balancing sturdily on one leg, parading her hot pink feathers. She was a strong soul, had everyone’s
hair wrapped tightly around her fingertip. The L of my name has a meaning that
distinguishes me from all other Laurens. Though a secret meaning, hidden in the
L. I, Lauren, am unique.