They say an elephant never forgets. So then Jason must be one. That guy never seems to forget a face.
I’m sure there must be those of us who forget someone we have met before. There was a time I was in a store, this was years ago and we stood there talking to another couple and when we walked away my husband asked why I didn’t introduce him and I told him I had NO idea who they were! I’m not kidding and we talked for quite some time. I thought surely something would happen or be said that would ring a bell in my head so I’d know where I knew them from and I thought about it for a long time and never did remember who they were.
Another time I was at the grocery store and knew a man in line but couldn’t for the life of me remember who it was. It turned out it was someone we bowl with and I did remember it later in the day. This happens to me all the time. Am I alone here???
I was watching JAG once and there was a new character on there and Jason came in the room and I knew that guy from somewhere and had been thinking about it during the whole show and I asked Jason who was it and he said without missing a beat, he played Andrew Garvey on Little House!! My favorite all time show and I couldn’t place him. Of course he was 20 years older but still, it was clearly him and Jason knew it RIGHT NOW. I can call Jason now if I need help and sure enough, he’ll know!!
How do you handle it when it happens to you? Do you pretend you remember them or do you ask them or what? I feel like such a dork when it happens to me so I just pretend I know who they are as to not risk hurting their feelings and to not let them know I’m getting senile!!!!
Us Girls..Our Views 
I say, “I am so sorry, but I am bad at remembering names, what is yours again?” or “I am sorry, where do I know you from!? I am terrible.” Because I feel bad but need to know. Sometimes I have done like you did and pretend, but I am too honest usually. Eric is like you, he will pretend and this happened yesterday!! We went to a party last night, and 2 guys he was on deployment with in Germany said “Hey, long time, how’s it going?” I don’t know if they remember his name even. I was like, “Why didn’t you introduce me to them!?” He told me he didn’t remember their names but didn’t want to be rude. Ended up, they were bad at remembering names too! So usually, do not feel bad because many people are bad at remembering this. When people do not remember, I think it is just not of importance or the person wasn’t of interest to us and sometimes it is a hard name to remember. When I have made it a goal, I remember. I think you just have to want to remember.
LOL, Joy, you’re not going senile! Lots of people just can’t place faces – everyone has a different kind of memory, and yours isn’t one that works with faces, that’s all :).
I remember faces but names not so much, so I could have the same kind of conundrum as you with people I’d meet somewhere – I would know I knew them but couldn’t name them!
This happened to me last week @ a garden center 40 miles from us…lady was waiting on me, I’m thinking to myself..she looks familiar..but wasn’t 100% sure….so as I was checking out, that’s what I said, “You look familiar, are you from __________ you look familiar…she smiled and said yes! I still wasn’t sure who she was, so I took a stab @ who I thought she was…(nope, but she was married to Phil, class mate of my wife.)..had the nicest short talk, she thanked me for saying something. Sometimes I can pull a name out of the air from years ago, (not TV people, but people I’ve met 1st hand) other times, the short term memory is starting to sputter and go blank…since we’re about the same age, (and I”ve talked freely about this with several people, in large measure it’s aging, and sometimes too many things on my mind..but mostly aging)..what’s your name again ?
I usually say..
“I’m sorry ..and you are?”
I am good with faces horrible with names. 😦
I will never forget a face.But names are different.If I met them once and was introduced,meet them later on,I will not remember there name.I will ask again what there name is.But when you run into someone who is just a talker,and i really cant remember there name,I go along and pretend I do.I am so bad at naames.I blame my age also,as this not remembering is getting worse.Now its spilling into my everyday life and with most stuff.No wait,I blame it on Menopause 🙂 NOw I feel better 🙂
I think it’s pretty normal. It actually happened to me the other day. But the person did not know who I was. I knew who the person was we chatted and at one point in the conversation the lady says and how are your kids? Which was a little awkward because I don’t have kids. I actually felt really bad for her. But Ive been in that situation and you hope at some point you will get a clue to who it is. It’s a terrible feeling but really how can your remember ever one you ever meet? Unless you have photographic memory.
I agree with Javajunkee to say early in the conversation “I’m sorry..and you are?” But not to wait to long into it. LOL
Another thing i have noticed on not remembering,is when I am under great stress,my mind is overwhelmed and I have a bad memory then.
Some people who have excellent memories can annoy me too.They forget nothing and remember everything.Thats all great until you meet someone who constantly remiinds you of everything you have ever said and done
Well, you just did it to me right NOW!!!
I never watched Little House, but I was a HUGE fan of JAG. So when you mentioned the character name, of course, I had to go see who had a Little House history. Patrick Labyorteaux. Yeah, I know him…. CRAP!! What was his character’s name on JAG???? I could NOT remember, for the life of me! Had to go look it up. I am so ashamed.
I real life, I’ve started with the, “sorry, I’m really bad with names, tell me yours again, please,” thing. It’s easier, and gets me in WAY less trouble than faking it. And believe me, I get in enough trouble as it is. I don’t need to pile on.
WHAT??? You NEVER watched Little House??? I can’t believe it. I’d have had you pegged as a watcher!
I don’t always ask their name if I don’t remember, but I’ll just say “I’m sorry I don’t remember your name!” It’s embarrassing until they say “I don’t remember yours either!”
That is funny, Joy, “so Jason must be one”!
LOL Tessa.
I hate it when that happens to me. I do like you do, Joy, and pretend to know who they are until some memory sparks. The other day an old friend contacted me on Facebook. He mentioned watching his old wedding video and seeing me in it. I could not, for the life of me, remember going to his wedding. And I couldn’t remember his wife. My kids tease me about it and tell me it is Alzheimers. I hope not!
It is funny how and what we remember but I just feel terrible if someone clearly knows me and I don’t have a clue as to “how.” I almost always remember “after the fact” though so it’s not SO bad.
If I am by myself and do not recognize a person who obviously recognizes me, I talk for a bit…then I ask them for their address and phone number. When I do…I ask, “And what is the correct spelling of your name?” When they tell me, a light usually goes off in my brain!!!! FINALLY!!! If I am with someone, I make like I have to go to the bathroom and as I dart away, I say. “Oh, you guys introduce , I will be right back!” WORKS FOR ME!!!!
I am just like Jason on this subject. I NEVER forget a face! I probablyy won’t remember their name but I will remember where I know them from.
I usually just point out where I know them from and say “I’m sorry, I never forget a face but I can’t remember your name for the life of me”. They usually just smile and remind me. 😀
I am terrible with names! What is really bad is because I was a fast-food manager for so long I now get people in their mid to late 20’s come up to me and start talking about how they worked for me when they were teens and I have NO CLUE who they are! I always say right up front, “I’m sorry what is your name?”