When I first began my write-in campaign to be SF Valley Mayor, I never considered the possibility that another "Steven Smith" might try to crash my party. As I recall, there was another "Jesse Jackson Jr." on the ballot this year in Illinois running against the incumbent Congressman, and now the mayor of DC has had to sweat out the past few days, hoping that the eight other "Anthony Williams" that are registered to vote in the District didn't try to claim victory. Obviously, my name is even more common: just looking at the phone book for the West Valley, I see a whole grip of Steven Smiths, and even a few Steven E. Smiths; that's not even taking into account the "S. Smiths" in the phone book who have my name, or the Steven Smiths with unlisted numbers. And that's just the West Valley.

Obviously, having a name that common can be a blessing as well as a curse. I've always had the gut feeling that my bar results, my application to Berkeley, even my applications for credit, were being judged not on what I accomplished (thank God) but on what someone else with the same name did. Incidentally, for a time there were three different bankruptcy attorneys in the Los Angeles area named "Steven E. Smith". Besides myself, and, of course, my late father, there is a partner in a prominent debtor's firm in Century City with the same name. On one occasion, I represented my dad in a hearing, back when he was a Chapter 7 Trustee. Representing the debtor, of course, was Steven E. Smith. So we had a good chuckle when we made our appearances: "Good morning, Your Honor, Steven E. Smith Jr. for the Trustee, Steven E. Smith", then, "Steven E. Smith for the debtor". I guess you had to have been there....