Why do so many people call me "pablo"? It is, as they say, a long story. For an abbreviated version, I refer you to a dusty old online manual page from the University of Washington's CS Department (for reference, I happily respond to either name, without preference, even more happily if chocolate is involved)
PABLO(local) MISC. REFERENCE MANUAL PAGES PABLO(local) NAME pablo, david, hey_you - appellation of grad student SYNOPSIS pablo [ stop snoring! ] [ where's that paper that was due yesterday? ] DESCRIPTION Tall, stringy grad student seen wandering halls of Sieg. Useful for playing games involved with keeping aloft a small leather beanbag using feet (size 10.5). SEE ALSO hackysack(1), pizza(1), tofu(3) BUGS They're not `bugs', they're undocumented features! Currently too numerous to list here. HISTORY Originally called `David' , subject attended high school ( Denver, Jefferson) where, due to circumstances that are best forgotten, an imaginary calculus student named `Pablo' was purported to exist. This student was assigned responsibility for any anonymous notes, cute quotations etc. that appeared around school. At outset of college education (see `dartmouth' ), student (the one called `David', that is) left anonymous note on door of Gretchen Sporleder (see `lust' ) signed with moniker `Pablo' (see `mistake' ). Aformentioned female opened door as postscript was being written and student wandered off, more than slightly embarrassed. Female, wondering who stu- dent was, saw the name `Pablo' written on door, asked around to find out where student lived. Student's friends (many of them also named David), put one and one together and began calling hapless student `Pablo'. After several years and some hoping that the nickname would wear off, student became accustomed to being called by Span- ish appellation, and found it useful in crowded rooms of Davids and as a conversation piece. AUTHOR [withheld to protect the unwary] 7/31/84 Sun Release 4.1 Last change: 31 July 1984 1