Man is Sir for a day
New Plymouth man Michael Merrick insisted he be called Sir on his birthday after receiving a letter congratulating him on a knighthood he never received.
‘‘It’s my birthday today so I’ve decided just for today, until midnight, I’m going to be Sir Michael,’’ he said yesterday.
The New Plymouth District councillor was awarded a QSM on New Year’s Day for services to the community. But one month later he received a letter from Labour MP Jo Luxton applauding him on his New Zealand Order of Merit.
‘‘I went back to it later thinking it was a bit odd because it never actually mentioned the letters QSM,’’ Merrick said. I was intrigued so I Googled it and it was a knighthood. I thought how do I deal with this?’’
So on his February 8 birthday he insisted everyone called him ‘‘Sir’’ for 24 hours, before leaving the mistake, which the 58-year-old admits is funny, in the past.
The day even included a mock ceremony where a plastic sword was used to make him a knight.
Merrick expected his mates would take the mickey out of him at his regular Friday drinks at New Plymouth’s Stumble Inn.
‘‘Then I’ll just count down until to midnight. Then it’s all over, my 10 minutes of fame. After that I’m going back to my humble beginnings of QSM and move on.’’
Merrick said he knew the letter was a mistake straight away, after already receiving letters from the GovernorGeneral, Prime Minister and local MP a month earlier. ‘‘But it’s a hell of a blunder to make,’’ he said.
‘‘There are some very important and prominent people that have got this award and I don’t think they’d count me among them.’’
Merrick said if he kept milking the title any longer than 24 hours it would annoy some people.
Luxton’s office said the Timaru MP had sent congratulatory letters to all NZOM recipients, but was unaware of how Merrick was included.