I Confess I’m Terrible at Remembering Names…Anyone Else?
Confession is good for the soul, so let's get to it...I am really bad at remembering names.
There's no telling how many people I've met in my lifetime, working in radio has certainly amplified that number. But I gotta tell you, it can be a real struggle to remember names when I see people I haven't seen in a while.
To be fair, I come by it honest. My mother, a retired nurse, also has the same affliction. And sometimes, that would happen in our own home; I don't know how many times she's called me Vic (that's her brother's name).
Also, she's been known to run through all of our names when she wants a specific someone. She's rattled off my name, my uncle's name, and either of my nephew's names before she gets to the one she means. Obviously, she didn't forget OUR names, but I can see where it might be a symptom of having trouble remembering everyone's name.
My dad was the same way. And, Lord, did HE ever know a lot of people. When he passed away, and we got the registration book back, there were almost one thousand signatures in it.
I've been known to do little tricks, too. I've scurried to Facebook to look up someone whose name I DO remember because I know that person knows the person with whom I will soon be speaking. Yes, it's cheating, but I own it. I don't care.
But here's the main point of all this...in NO way does this indicate a lack of respect for you if I don't recall your name. I might even tell you outright, "I'm sorry, I just can't remember your name."
Sometimes you just have to do that.
I was reminded of my little issue while watching an HBO Max sitcom recently. It's called Hacks and in the season finale, there's a scene at a funeral. The wife of the deceased rushes up to another woman and embraces her, saying, "Oh Wendy, I love you so much...thank you for coming (then a perfectly timed pause). I mean, it's WENDY, right?"
I don't believe I'm that bad, but some of us are. It's life. It's human. It happens.
Now, what was your name again?