“I’ll need your full legal name for the new checking account,” Nancy said, laying a black fountain pen across the card.

“Clara Helen Novak,” I said, using my maiden name for the first time in four years.

“No middle initial?” Nancy asked me.

“Put the whole middle name,” I said.

I picked up the pen and signed the white card in clear, steady capital letters.

Nancy checked my driver’s license against the card and stamped the bottom corner in purple ink.

“There’s no second signature block on this application,” Nancy said, holding the card up to the desk lamp.