This morning, Magnum and I went to this potluck picnic thing for Wolfgang's cross country team. They had a morning practice followed by parents bringing a bunch of food. I think it was mainly a ploy by the coaches to get a bunch of food after practice, but whatever...
Anyway, it was a nice enough day for it, and we were at this park pavillion. As I was hanging out, this vaguely familiar person came up to me and asked if I lived near the elementary school that we live near. I answered that indeed I did, and he went on to say that he runs on the path and often sees me walking the crazy dog.
Okay, so then I remembered him, and pretty soon we're talking like we've known each other since kindergarten. He points out his daughter, Magnum and I point out Wolfgang (of course the kids weren't anywhere near their parents, on purpose I'm sure).
But the whole time we're carrying on this conversation, I realized that about 5 seconds after he told me his name, I'd forgotten it. Or maybe it was never deep enough into my brain in the first place for me to have known it well enough to even forget.
To make matters worse, his wife joins us and he adeptly introduces us all by our actual names - just further making me feel like an inattentive slacker. So I'm thinking that, hopefully Magnum remembers.
Yeah, riiiiiight.
The thing is, I will probably see him on the walking path again, and I should acknowledge him by his name, right? "Hey, runner guy that I shared life stories with at the cross country potluck! Howzit going?" just doesn't really sound right.
What to do?
Fortunately, he told us that he works for the school district. And fortunately, Wolfgang knows his daughter pretty well, and knows their last name. And fortunately, the school district has a website which I happen to have bookmarked. And fortunately, I easily found the department he works for. And fortunately, they have a listing of department staff...
Jeff. JEFF. jeff. Jeff. JEFF.
Wait... what was it?
.
3 comments:
Ohhh, I HATE when that happens! I do that ALL the time. I wonder if it's an age thing? I used to be really good with names, and now? Not so much.
Story of my life, girl. And know that, should I ever run into you IRL, you will forever be Abby. Just sayin'.
Oh man, I had to do this with a woman who always chats with me at church. I knew she was a Eucharistic Minister so I checked their scheduling list to figure out her first name - I did know the last name.
After literally YEARS of "knowing" her, I found out that her name is Maggie.
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