Finally Piett gets a first name -- Firmus! But there were mixed reactions to it. Seems like most Americans have never heard of this name, but Europeans are more familiar with it. It's the name of a Roman Emperor and "a good, classical name", IF you pronounce it correctly!

It's supposed to be pronounced "fear-mooz", and if you say it that way, it sounds very nice. I got into the habit of asking my British friend "can you say it just one more time?" Then I had this grand idea. I wrote Kenneth Colley a letter, and sent an audiotape with a SASE, and asked if he would say it!

And to my pleasant surprise...he did.

Hey, I've heard everybody say he's a really nice guy. And he is!

Here is the sound file of what was on the tape. It's a two-fer for me, because he not only pronounced HIS character’s name, he even managed to pronounce MINE in a way that suddenly makes my name sound cool too. (I never liked my name very much.)

Also, I sent him a birthday card and got a postcard back! Now that was a good mailbox day.

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