Today's A NOT TOO TRUE STORY: Two Italian Boys in Des Moines.

Words and photo by F LoBuono

My co-worker and I walked into the lobby of the Marriott Hotel in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. We were on assignment for CBS News, covering the Democratic Debate for President. Nice hotel - clean, modern, spacious. It wasn't busy so we went right to the front desk to check-in. Joe, 40, lean and dark skinned with short, dark hair, approached the clerk first and they exchanged greetings.

Checking-in, sir?

Yes, we are. Joe replied.

May I have your name, please? asked the clerk.

As he searched his wallet for the credit card he would need next, Joe answered:

Joe Mancuso.

Ah. Here your are sir. the clerk responded after finding the reservation on his computer. He preceded to complete the checking-in process without incident. I was next.

Your name, sir?

Frank LoBuono

Please spell that, sir.

L-O-B-as in BOY - U-O-N-O. I spelled it slowly and, as I always do, added the B as in BOY to make it perfectly clear. I don't usually bother explaining that it's actually two words. That's just way too tough for most people to handle.

The clerk slowly repeated after me: L-O-B-as in BOY . . .

When he got to the U-O he stumbled, mixing up the order of the U and O - seems to happen all of the time.

I corrected him: U-O-N-O.

The clerk kept searching his computer for the reservation. He could not find it. I assured him that it was certainly made by CBS News, who I was there for on assignment.

Let me check for another spelling, the now slightly nervous clerk responded.

Ah. Yes. It's spelled O-U in the reservation.

At this point is was easier to go with the new spelling of my name than to have it corrected.

Sure. Why don't we just leave it like that and I'll check in with that spelling. OK? I offered.

Certainly, Mr. Lu Bouno, replied the clerk, doing everything within his power to pronounce my name properly.

I made one more attempt to pronounce it slowly for him so that he might get it right: LOBUONO, accentuating the U properly.

LO - BONO! bleated the clerk, smiling, sure he had gotten it correctly that time.

Close enough, was my final response.

The clerk smiled even more broadly and added, You guys must be Italians from New York!

No shit. How'd you figure that? I retorted.

The young man looked back at me with a shocked expression.

I winked.

He laughed a bit nervously and added: I just love Italians from New York!

Indeed, young man. Indeed.