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Wherever you happen to live, there's usually an accepted way of informal address for people you don't know. In the part of London where I grew up, it was usually "mate". Elsewhere in the UK, it might be "marra" or "boyo" or "pal" or, depending on the degree of affection involved, "flower" or even "lover".

My father always called people Jim. If we were getting into a taxi, he'd address the driver as Jim. If we were asking for directions, he'd address the person we were asking as Jim. I never heard anyone else use an actual name in quite that way and it's always stuck in my memory.

So, when I needed a name that Stan could use when speaking to the Shaman, what better name could I possibly choose? I owe my father many, many things and providing the inspiration behind Stan's use of the word "Jim" is just one more to add to the list. Thanks, dad!