Stop Calling Me Pete

1991 COPYRIGHT
BY PETER CHRISTOPHER RAYMOND

WALKING TOWARD THE BACK OF THE AUDITORIUM
I HEARD MY NAME AND WAS STRUCK DUMB
I TURNED MY HEAD DAZED AND UNSURE
TO STARE AT SOMEONE I'D NEVER MET BEFORE
I TURNED AWAY AND TOOK MY SEAT
GOSH, WHY DID THEY HAVE TO CALL ME PETE
AND I WOULD NEVER FEEL THE SAME
JUST HOW COULD SOMEONE HAVE KNOWN MY NAME

I ALWAYS HAD A PRIVATE PLACE
AND THE GIFT OF AN EASILY FORGETTABLE FACE
BUT NOW I JUST DON'T FEEL SECURE
THIS PARANOIA IS HARD TO ENDURE

I SAT IN CLASS IN CHEMISTRY
WHEN I HEARD SOMEONE CALLING ME
I SMILED AND WAVED AND SAID HELLO
TO SOMEONE I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER KNOW
I LOOK AT THE FACE AND LOOKED IN MY MIND
FOR THE INDENTIFICATION I NEEDED TO FIND
BUT ALL MY EFFORTS TURNED UP THE SAME
I JUST COULDN'T PLACE THE FACE WITH A NAME

I STOOD ON THE PLATFORM WIATING FOR THE T
WHEN AN ABSOLUTE STRANGER STARTED TALKING TO ME
I NODDED AND AGREED WITH WHATEVER SHE SAID
HIDING THE CONFUSION THAT FLOWED IN MY HEAD
ALL RECOGNITION ATTEMPTS JUST DREW A BLANK
AND DEEPER INTO MY DAZE I SANK
WHAT WAS IT THAT GAVE ME THIS NEW-FOUND FAME
HOW DID EVERYONE JUST HAPPEN TO KNOW MY NAME

SO I DECIDED JUST TO WAIT AND SEE
IF THE NAMES WOULDN'T JUST COME NATURALLY TO ME
BUT MY IGNORANCE JUST DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE
AND I WONDERED HOW I COULD POSSIBLY BE SO DENSE
WHAT WAS THIS CLEVER DECEIT
AND WHY DID THEY INSIST ON CALLING ME PETE
SOMEDAY I GUESS I'LL UNDERSTAND
BUT FOR NOW THEY STILL HAVE THE UPPER HAND
YES, PERHAPS IN SOME FUTRE TENSE
ALL THIS CONFUSION WILL START MAKING SENSE