My Name Is Ah-Tan, For We Are Many...

Do you have any friends or acquaintances who prefer to be addressed by their surnames? As for me, I know three Mister TANs. In my opinion, there's nothing wrong with their preference. It dispenses with formalities altogether but I feel rather awkward about it.

With reference to the illustration above:
In my previous work place in the media industry, I knew two TANs. The first chap preferred to be known simply as 'TAN'. He worked in another department opposite my office. Tall and friendly chap.

The second chap worked in the same department as me. The 'uncle' preferred to be addressed as 'AH-TAN'. Chatty fella who almost never fails to have 'been there, done that' stories to share.

The third is my neighbour living in the adjacent unit. This jovial man also prefers to be known as 'TAN'. But I address him as Mister Tan out of courtesy.

Oddly, none of the LIMs, LEEs, WONGs, etc whom I know ever asked to be addressed by their surnames. Seems like only the TANs have exceptions.

What The Dickens...

I may be making a fuss over nothing but I'll say it anyway. Next to taking a piss with a cleaner aunty mopping the floor behind you, the other screwed up thing is to have a man bring his daughter into the Gents.

The man's wife may not be around so daddy can't possibly waltz into the Ladies and help Ah-Girl take a piss. SO, daddy brings Ah-Girl to the Gents. It sounds like the thing every responsible dad would do but hey, isn't it somewhat...strange? It's understandable if Ah-Girl still fits in a pram but if Ah-Girl is big enough to know how to say 'shee shee', hey, the Ladies is that way. If Ah-Girl is able to walk already, she should fare better than a toilet-trained cat.

If all the cubicles are occupied, it's just isn't right to make Ah-Girl wait and expose her to the firing squad at the urinals. Can't give Ah-girl the competitive edge over Ah-Boy in the knowledge of the birds and bees.

A situation like this is really awkward and building a 'children's only' toilet with Little Tikes toilet bowls and squatting dumpsters isn't commercially viable too. What a predicament...