you can call me Pat

When I first started my job as a substitute teacher’s aide, I became friends with Carol, a librarian at one of the elementary schools. She so appreciated my help shelving books whenever I had down time. Being a sub, I am usually at a different school every day, so ran into Carol only a few times a month after that and throughout the following year, when she had been transferred to a different elementary school, Monroe. We were delighted to see each other again this year, only I noticed that she thinks my name is Pat. At first I didn’t realize she was calling me Pat, but then when I knew for sure, I figured it was no big deal since I don’t see her very often anyway. But my initial week-long assignment at Monroe has been extended first to 4 weeks, then six, and now through the end of December. So the situation has become rather awkward, how do I correct her now? Is it beyond the point of no return? Then the plot thickened yesterday when someone else called me Pat. I am hoping that since enough people know my real name, somehow it will work itself out. In the meantime, I’ll answer to Pat. The truth is, I’ll answer to almost anything.