Issues

A few days ago Pork Chop and I were out shopping for an item for the baby. We had a few questions, and the store employee finally stopped in the middle of helping us and said to me, "You look so familiar." I told her my maiden name, and she immediately said, "Oh, of course!" Now, this is the embarrassing part. At this point, I know she knows me, and I know I should know her, but she doesn't look even remotely familiar, and I am racking my brain trying to figure out who she is so she doesn't have to further elaborate and tell me. Alas, it was to no avail and she was forced to delineate the details of our acquaintance.

We grew up about a block and a half apart, attended church together for the first 13 years or so of our lives, and were in school together from elementary all the way through high school graduation. So, yes, a little embarrassing.

Unfortunately, this episode repeats itself about once a year. I inevitably run into someone who says, "Hey, you remember me, right?" and when I don't, I at once feel stupid and arrogant. I honestly don't know why I struggle to place people, but I've been like this forever. I've sometimes wondered if I have some less-serious version of that disorder that makes it impossible for people to recognize faces. It seems that if the person has changed at all, I have no clue who they are.

On the flip side, my brother John has an incredible memory for names, faces, and what-have-you, and frankly appears to remember more about my high school friends than I do. I fear this problem will grow worse with age, and I might wind up alienating all kinds of people. Scary.