What's Her Name?

The worst is not remembering names….especially a person you know…or should know. You see her coming, and you wanna run, because you are blanking out. What the heck is her name?? I have always been bad with names, so this is nothing new. I try everything to avoid having to say the person’s name…”Hey, friend. Hi ya! Hey you. Hi amigo.”

I could be at a party and just meet Bob and Arleen. Five seconds later…I have no clue what their names are. Was it…John and Lisa? So sometimes I have to ante up and just say, “Sorry…I am a lame brain and I already forgot your name.”

For 12 years Wishy has gone to school with a girl whose mother I run into…every now and then…but not often. I can never remember her name. I have some kind of mental block. I am trying to remember her name now….it starts with “M”….no, it definitely starts with “R”. Helga. I think! By the time graduation comes around….I swear I am going to learn her name.

We have a principal in town who recently retired from the elementary school and who could remember every child’s name in the entire school…K-5. Not only did he remember every kid’s name, but also their siblings. The very weird thing is, when I ran into this man (I forget his name), he asked, “How are Chelsea and Colin doing in college…and then added, “Isn’t Chelsea graduating this year?” What planet is this guy from? He is a freak of nature…a good freak, but a freak.

So does Mr. Retired Principal remember names by using association? Does he see your kid and think…Hmmm…Allen has an apple head. And Penny is a pea brain. I swear he must have spent every night at home with pictures of the students and their names…all spread out on his living room floor...playing the matching game. Or maybe, his wife quizzed him with flash cards. Yea…probably that.

Personally, I am an advocate for name tags. I wish that when we left our houses, we were required to put them on…that you could get fined if you weren’t wearing one. I especially love going to events where you have to wear tags. Most people hate adhering them or pinning them to their clothing…but I say bring them on. When someone is wearing one…I like to say their name a lot. Like…Heck, I would have known your name without these lousy name tags. “Hey Bob. Hey Arleen. Bob. Arleen. Arleen. Bob.”

Only one problem….the name tags are getting harder and harder to read.