Passports for internal travel?????

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

55. I got married in1980.

Despite my name, I am a woman.

I am constantly surprised that women much younger than I am fall into the changing their name trap. A few years back a niece of mine was getting married and I casually asked her if she was planning to change her name. She said, "Of course! It's so much easier!" I bit my tongue, because I do sincerely believe that changing your name is a personal choice.

But here's my story about the one and only time in 25 years that having different last names caused a problem.
We'd gone out to eat, and my husband left his credit card behind in the restaurant. When he realized this, he called the restaurant and yes, the had the credit card. "Can my wife pick it up?" he asked. He worked some 45 minutes away. I was a stay at home spouse and was readily able to go to the restaurant. "Of course" they replied.

My husband called me and I went to the restaurant to pick up his credit card. They of course wanted ID. I pulled out my driver's license. But it had my name, Stephanie Smith, and he was Robert Romero. Uh oh. The person at the restaurant understandably did not want to give me his card. I didn't blame them. But luckily, I had my checkbook with me. A joint account. It had his name, my name, and our address, which matched the one on my driver's license. When I showed it to the restaurant person, she was happy to let me have my husband's credit card.

The worst that might have happened, had I not had the checkbook with me, was that my husband would have had to stop by the restaurant that night to get his credit card.

And this is the very worst thing that happened in 25 years of marriage in which I kept my original name.

Oh, and my niece? She was divorced within four years and went through the nonsense of changing her name back.

I will again assert that if you (a young woman) wants to change your name, then do so. Just make sure you document it. Sigh. I'm old enough that I know how easy it used to be. It really should still be that way, especially considering that the default is still that a woman change her last name when she gets married.

I am NOT intending to debate whether that name change should occur. I'm talking about the fact that changing your name can lead to stupid problems in the future.