When I was a little boy, everyone in the small town of Malta, OH called my dad Big Al. Even though my dad is only 5′9″, he was always known as Big Al and I was Little Al. So as I’ve grown older, for anyone to call me Big Al, or even just Al, seems strange to me. That being said, I do answer to Al (and, if you must, I will answer to Big Al as well….but don’t expect me to like it) but my preference is Alan. That was the name given to me at the adoption agency and that is the name I prefer. So Paul Simon was on to something when he sang “You can call me Al” because you can. I just might not answer…