Call me Thom:

This summer, fed by stories of Clark Rockefeller (or, more accurately, Christian Gerhartsreiter) and an article about Frederic Bourdin, a famous con man and impersonator, I developed somewhat of a fascination with aliases. Though seemingly the stuff of film and wild news stories, aliases must be far more prevalent than any normal person would assume.

So much so, in fact, that it was completely normal for the US Embassy to have a question about any of my aliases while I registered with them before leaving the country. If aliases are mainstream enough to make an official government questionnaire, then surely many people are using them.

I refrained from creating an alter-ego through government records, but the idea stuck in my mind. Now, I don't plan on conducting any international bank fraud schemes or infiltrating the circles of Danish elites, but something about having an alias seems intriguing.

So while waiting in a particularly long line outside a bar this past weekend with a group of my peers who were being particularly American, I put my ideas into action. Mentioning what I was doing to my friends beforehand, I began speaking in a British accent -- hokey, perhaps, but from all observers, I pulled it off pretty effectively. No real cons were pulled of course, except that I somewhat hilariously separated myself from American student stereotypes. I no longer felt quite as bad if asking for imposing the English language on Danes, as we had much in common: a longstanding monarchy, universal healthcare, and the Queen's English.

The whole accent was short-lived, and mostly just a joke, but I've slowly been developing my persona. The name's Thom, though if I were pressed for a last name, I'd have to do some quick thinking. I'm still working on a surname that seems appropriate and not overly British. Perhaps in time I'll come up with a believable backstory, as well. I'll be opening Swiss bank accounts in no time.

Actually, Saturday night, I introduced myself to another American as Thom, but the bar was loud and I doubt she heard my falsified identity over the din. That's probably for the best anyways.