The name is Sherman Alexie Jr.

Not many people know that Sherman Alexie , the poet/novelist who grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation, is a junior. His father, then, is Sherman Alexie Sr.

According to Alexie Jr.’s publicist, Christy Cox, Alexie Sr. is gravely ill and not expected to live beyond the weekend. Cox’s concern, which is shared by Alexie Jr., is that if, and when, an obituary runs, people will confuse the two names.

Alexie Jr. has enough on his mind without having his wife forced to field phone calls of consolation.