Thursday, September 21, 2006

Who Are You?

My head is a box filled with nothing but air.
    Earlier this morning, I was coming out of the hospital and wandering across the parking lot after my twice-weekly blast of ultra-violet B radiation, when a man coming toward me said "Hi Dan."
 
    Now, since I had no idea who this person was, I responded with a surprised yet friendly "hey!"  But, neither of us slowed down, and I was left to puzzle over who this strange person actually could have been as we went our separate ways.  Eventually, as is always the case, I found myself growing more and more frustrated by my pathetic memory.  And, by the time I reached my car and fumbled with my keys, I was ready to dash back into the hospital, track this person down, grab him by the lapels and demand he tell me who he is and how the hell he knows me. 
 
    Unfortunately, I am absolutely dreadful with names.  It's got to be some sort of record with how quickly I continually forget them.  Case in point:  It took me almost two years to be able to remember my friend José's wife's name.  It was absolutely embarrassing.  I'd see her, she'd say, "Hi, Dan," and I'd feebly return the greeting with, "Hi, murblewurbleink."  Or, when that became old and transparent, I'd simply respond with, "Hey! *cough-cough-hack-wheeze*  Sorry, it's tuberculosis.  Nice to see you.  How's things?"   However, the latter approach lead to way more Get-Well cards than I really felt comfortable receiving.  Eventually, she and I came to an understanding.  We would say hello to one another, and she wouldn't laugh at me for being stupid. 
 
    Anyway, this mysterious person in the parking lot baffled me.  Not only did I not remember his name, but his face was wholly unremarkable.  He could have been one of my former doctors, but I think I might have remembered that.  He didn't rattle when he walked, so it was unlikely that he belonged to the army of perky, bouncing pharmaceutical salespeople over whom patients and doctors are always tripping.  He didn't stab me, or pull out a gun and cut me down in a spray of lead justice, so there's a pretty good chance I didn't date his sister.  In other words, I had no flippin' clue who this man was and how he knew me.  And, had he not been such a rude bastard, he would have stopped to tell me his name. 
 
    Then again, for all I know, he's probably told me his name a dozen times already, and I suppose I really can't blame him for just running off the way he did. 
 
-DP

8 comments:

  1. LOL, oh yes, BTDT many times.   Sometimes I can bluff out of it fairly well, sometimes not.   In your case, perhaps you're just popular?!   Or, maybe that's infamous.  -- Robin

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  2. Dan, I am horrible at that too,lol. Isn't it a real alarm when they mention people you know or a family member? Its like trying to solve puzzles saying hi, how are you,lol....The missing link in the parking lot, was probably your doctor. I do my best to try and forget the names of the probers....-Raven

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  3. "I do my best to try and forget the names of the probers...-Raven"

    Oh man...  You have NO idea how long I am going to be laughing at that statement, Raven.  That's probably one of the funniest things I've read all week.  

    Thanks,
    Dan

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  4. I rarely remember anybody unless I see them everyday.  I just make a practice to be nice to everyone when I encounter them and it keeps it consistent.  I liked the RAVEN line too.  Great!  I'm spoken to all the time by people who I've never seen before, ever!  It's strange to have no memory and folks act like they know me.  Such is my life, too.
    Nelishia

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  5. How you can take a thing that we all go through on a daily basis and make it sound so intriguing is a talent.  I love reading your blogs!
    http://journals.aol.com/mrsm711/LatteDah/
    Tracy

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  6. Are you sure you weren't wearing a name tag?????????  LOL!!!!
    Jill
    http://journals.aol.com/jillyjae/moving-right-along/  

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  7. Only you, Dan.. only you! lol   What are you doing at the hospital getting blasts of ultra violet radiation?  OR did you tell us, and I forgot? hee

    Jackie

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  8. LOL!!  The name will come to you when you try to lay down to sleep, just about to doze off, and BAM! Wide awake, "so that's who that was!!" Mental note to remember, but you know you won't. LOL.
    Thought I would also drop a quick line and let you know I changed my journal address-who knew that deleting that little "-" between the words changes everthing??!! Still learning this stuff.......*sigh*

    -Cristi
    http://journals.aol.com/csosalla/thebackyard

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