On my last outing I encountered a situation I'd given absolutely no thought to. I took a skirt into a repairers to have a new zip fitted , no problem, ready on Saturday, can we have a mobile number so we can text you to confirm it's ready and a name for the receipt.
I'd never been asked for my name before under anything like these circumstances and without thinking said Helen Highwater, my name here. Well you may ask what's wrong with using that? Well I choose it partly for it's slightly comedic phrasing (Hell and High Water for anyone who's not cottoned on). The guy serving me got the joke and it made me think that while it's fit for purpose here, for real world situations I need a more suitable surname.
I don't want to use my real one as it's a little uncommon and there's that stupid little worry that I'll be outed as a result. Daft I know but we all have these little voices.
I've now settled on a surname for Helen, one which is a truncated composition of my initials and actual surname. So my question is I suppose a two parter. For those who go out have you had to deal with anything similar and how/what did you do. For those yet to step out is this something you've ever given thought to?
Also one thing I need to explore is getting a debit/credit card with the same details. It should be OK but in the UK banks have to satisfy themselves there's no intent to commit fraud or launder money when setting up new accounts.