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You don't remember me, do you?

Started by Jockice, November 28, 2019, 05:42:35 PM

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Jockice

I know I'm getting on a bit but several times in the last few weeks people have come up to speak to me, obviously known who I was but the feeling hasn't been mutual. It happened yesterday when someone held a door open for me and was all: "Hi ****. How are you?" I'm fine but who the fuck are you? It's an embarrassing situation as it's hard to be friendly back but not let on that you haven't a clue how you know them or even if they haven't got you confused with someone else. One person did see my puzzled look and told me her name. I'd first met her when we had a row over a disabled parking space about 15 years ago. I ended up going for lunch with her but if she hadn't said who she was I'd have been none the wiser.

For some reason it got me thinking about what I suppose was my first official girlfriend when I was 17. It was a three-week job after meeting her in a park. I even went round to her house to watch TJ Hooker with her and hold hands on the couch a couple of times. Then she dumped me when I phoned her up one evening. And that was that. We lived in different parts of town, went to different schools and didn't have any friends in common, so there was no further contact. I saw her the following year when the fair was on but we just walked straight past each other without speaking. She'd dyed her hair blonde.

Then about a decade later I went to an event at which I got introduced to someone with the same name as her. Not a particularly unusual first name and a very common surname. But she did look sort of familiar, so I asked her where she lived. It was the same area as my ex. So I said: "I think we've met before,'' not expecting her to fall into my arms or anything but maybe to recall something. But instead she was totally adamant that she'd never seen me before in her life. I didn't want to push things, so I just said: "Fair enough,'' and we went our separate ways. To this day I don't know if it was her or not. Not that I think of her often. It's been years since she's even crossed my mind. And I should guess a lot longer since I crossed hers.

Anyway, that's that. Anyone else got any anecdotes about not remembering/not being remembered by someone?

Cerys

Happens to me all the time.  My usual go to is 'I'm so sorry - I know I know you, but I just can't place you'.  Hilarity then ensues as we both realise that we don't know each other at all.

Jockice

Quote from: Cerys on November 28, 2019, 05:47:37 PM
Happens to me all the time.  My usual go to is 'I'm so sorry - I know I know you, but I just can't place you'.  Hilarity then ensues as we both realise that we don't know each other at all.

The likes of us are more recognisable than the usual bear though. Although it can work the other way though. I once had someone absolutely convinced that I was someone they (apparently) know with Down's Syndrome. I don't have Down's Syndrome. I don't even look like I have Down's Syndrome. I do vaguely know the bloke she thought I was though. He has Down's Syndrome but no physical disabilities. Admittedly hard to tell the difference though.

Sherringford Hovis

[tag] Errol Down('s) trundles out of the thread[/tag]

MiddleRabbit

I've been a teacher in the same area for about 25 years now.  Going in town on a Saturday afternoon means that I'll generally get three or four middle aged people coming up to me saying, 'Alright sir, do you remember me?'

I don't usually remember them and feel slightly bad about it but, in my defence, I've met thousands and thousands of kids and they often look quite different at 40 in comparison to when they were about 12.

On the other hand, when kids I currently teach see me in town they're almost always astonished that I don't live in a cupboard in my classroom.  On the Monday afterwards, sometimes they come and tell you where you went and what you did, suggesting they've followed me around surreptitiously.  Periodically, when kids approach me outside school, I deny being who I am and they tell me in Monday that I must have a doppelgänger.  That's worked for years and years.  When I was training, I worked weekends at the local cinema and generally denied being a teacher too.  One one occasion though, a disgruntled adult came and asked me to have a word with some kids who were messing about, prior to the film starting.  I went in, snapped my fingers and told them to behave.  When they said, 'Sorry sir,' the look of astonishment on the complainant's face was quite funny.

In short, no, I don't remember most people who I've met.

I remember you, Jockice. I came to that funeral. I didn't want to be there, I attended as a matter of courtesy.

When I walked up to shake your hand, your gave me a look of bafflement and said, 'Who are you then?'

I didn't hold it against you. But I wasn't happy about it either.

Brundle-Fly

I find this happens when I go back to my hometown to visit the folks. I haven't lived there since 1992.

Whenever I'm strolling down the high street with my old mum, I scrutinize the faces of anybody passing by in the late 40s/early 50s. Its always the eyes that virtually remain the same. I've had a few "Hot Chocolate - It Started With A Kiss middle eight" moments with fellow pupils from forty-odd years ago, but it's never anybody I ever hung out with, but they throw their arms around me as if I'm Tom Hanks in a Santa outfit. I never remembered who they were back then so why would I now?

Jockice

Quote from: Default to the negative on November 28, 2019, 07:31:40 PM
I remember you, Jockice. I came to that funeral. I didn't want to be there, I attended as a matter of courtesy.

When I walked up to shake your hand, your gave me a look of bafflement and said, 'Who are you then?'

I didn't hold it against you. But I wasn't happy about it either.


I'm sorry. But I was so upset. I never expected my first girlfriend to be run over by a steamroller. If only she hadn't decided I wasn't the man for so soon I could have protected her. I was ever so grateful to get the invite considering I only ever met her five (or perhaps six) times in my life. And I didn't know then that you were her twin brother and that you used to be conjoined.  RIP Paula. Missing you already.

touchingcloth

Quote from: Jockice on November 28, 2019, 05:54:43 PM
The likes of us are more recognisable than the usual bear though. Although it can work the other way though. I once had someone absolutely convinced that I was someone they (apparently) know with Down's Syndrome. I don't have Down's Syndrome. I don't even look like I have Down's Syndrome. I do vaguely know the bloke she thought I was though. He has Down's Syndrome but no physical disabilities. Admittedly hard to tell the difference though.

"I don't even look like I have Down's Syndrome" - they don't all look the same, heartless!

Just googling it I have found that somehow "Down Syndrome" seems to be more commonly used than "Down's Syndrome". Who knew?

Jockice

Quote from: touchingcloth on November 28, 2019, 07:56:55 PM
"I don't even look like I have Down's Syndrome" - they don't all look the same, heartless!

Just googling it I have found that somehow "Down Syndrome" seems to be more commonly used than "Down's Syndrome". Who knew?

You're thinking of gingers there. Who do all look the same.

Quote from: Jockice on November 28, 2019, 07:52:43 PM

I'm sorry. But I was so upset. I never expected my first girlfriend to be run over by a steamroller. If only she hadn't decided I wasn't the man for so soon I could have protected her. I was ever so grateful to get the invite considering I only ever met her five (or perhaps six) times in my life. And I didn't know then that you were her twin brother and that you used to be conjoined.  RIP Paula.

Don't try and play the Sorrow Card with me. I bought all your albums. I supported your art all my life. But when I came to you for one simple autograph, you gave the 'magic nod' to your bodyguards and had me dragged away.

Publicly shamed me when I'd done nothing wrong. I was an innocent fan.

touchingcloth

Quote from: Jockice on November 28, 2019, 07:59:26 PM
You're thinking of gingers there. Who do all look the same.

True. I do find it heartwarming that they're starting to let them work in public roles, and casting ginger actors in ginger roles. They're so ruddy bloody brave (heart).

H-O-W-L

Quote from: Jockice on November 28, 2019, 07:59:26 PM
You're thinking of gingers there. Who do all look the same.

What was that, cunt?

Jockice

Quote from: H-O-W-L on November 28, 2019, 08:25:35 PM
What was that, cunt?


It's true. From Ed Sheeran to Queen Elizabeth the first to Jimmy Sommerville to her who did vocals on Thinking Of You by The Colourfield. All absolutely identical. Or so I've been told. Or to be precise I've been told I look like all of them.

The last one was my favourite. It was at least five years after that single had been a hit when a woman I'd never met before came up to me in a pub and said: "'I've got to tell you this. You look exactly like the girl who sang on that Colourfield song,'' and then walked off, never to be seen by me again. Maybe I'll bump into her again tomorrow. And not remember her.

Jockice

Quote from: Default to the negative on November 28, 2019, 07:59:42 PM
Don't try and play the Sorrow Card with me. I bought all your albums. I supported your art all my life. But when I came to you for one simple autograph, you gave the 'magic nod' to your bodyguards and had me dragged away.

Publicly shamed me when I'd done nothing wrong. I was an innocent fan.

Speak to my agent.

Icehaven

In the area I used to live in I was twice approached by different people who said "Hi Roxy!!" before the combination of getting a closer look and my baffled expression made them realise I'm not Roxy. I sort of wish I was a Roxy though, I quite like the 80sness of it (mostly cos of The Police's Roxanne and Joey's girlfriend in Bread.)

Jockice

Quote from: icehaven on November 29, 2019, 08:00:26 AM
In the area I used to live in I was twice approached by different people who said "Hi Roxy!!" before the combination of getting a closer look and my baffled expression made them realise I'm not Roxy. I sort of wish I was a Roxy though, I quite like the 80sness of it (mostly cos of The Police's Roxanne and Joey's girlfriend in Bread.)

Or maybe you look like Bryan Ferry. Or Brian Eno.

Jockice

#17
Incidentally, I'm sort of tempted to do a High Fidelity and try and trace the elusive girl mentioned in my first post. Just for the sake of it. I'm sure it'll be a dramatically different result from that in the book when he phoned up his first girlfriend's mother and she had no recollection of him. I'm sure her mum won't have forgotten the twice I went round her house in 1983.

So, where to start? She was very - in fact I would say astonishingly - average-looking and if you put her name into Google there are 163,000,000 results. I'm on a winner here.

Ambient Sheep

What about if you surround her full name with quotes?  Might just be a few hundred thousands then... tens of thousands if you're lucky.

Jockice

125,000,000. I'm getting nearer. The more she ignores me the closer I get.

kngen

I immediately forget someone's name as soon as they tell me. In fact, it doesn't even register. I think my fight-or-flight mode is overclocking wildly, so nothing sticks at all - terrible at remembering faces, too (probably for the same reason).

And, as my wife takes no small joy in reminding me, my 'I think I know you, but I'm not quite sure' look of furrow-browed scrutiny is almost exactly the same as my 'I'm going to fucking murder you, you cunt' face.

It's a miracle I have any friends at all. Oh wait, I don't.

Jockice

Ooh memories. On the subject of them and exes (of which I really haven't had many) I had a messenger chat today with one who had seen the Hillsborough trial verdict and said it reminded her of the time we went to see Pulp live the night before the disaster.

Fair enough, except that we didn't. We didn't even meet until about a year and a half after it, Pulp didn't have a concert the night before the disaster (I've checked. They only played live once in the entire year), and the one time we did see them - in early 1991 supporting another band - she thought they were bollocks after about a minute and didn't even watch the rest of the set.

I haven't seen her since that year (it lasted about three months and we just sort of mutually stopped contacting each other. No hard feelings, so when she sent me a Facebook friend request a couple of years ago, I gladly accepted), but it strikes me as strange that she has such strong recollections of an event that didn't actually take place. But then I'm sure we all have memories like that.

dallasman

Just don't get an avatar with a bird, and you'll have no trouble from me, [scrolls down] Jockice.

Quote from: dallasman on November 30, 2019, 09:02:55 PM
Just don't get an avatar with a bird, and you'll have no trouble from me, [scrolls down] Jockice.

You're not really in a position to criticise other people's avatars. I mean, what is that you've got going there?

dallasman

Quote from: Default to the negative on November 30, 2019, 09:16:18 PM
You're not really in a position to criticise other people's avatars. I mean, what is that you've got going there?

It wasn't a critique, it was just a reference to the fact that I get "Jockice" and "Jobotic" mixed up because their usernames look similar. Jobotic has an avatar, as I just noted while reading another thread. Hence my pointless interjection. Sorry for any offence caused.

Nice way to avoid the question. But I won't press you on it. I suppose it's kind of funny.

dallasman

I guess I should also clarify neither Jockice nor Jobotic will have any trouble from me. As for my own avatar, there's a rather detailed account of its origins in a thread I started.

Okay. If you have a richly detailed origin story - if you've written a Tolkienesque mythology about it - then it must be accepted.

dallasman

Quote from: Default to the negative on November 30, 2019, 09:31:51 PM
Okay. If you have a richly detailed origin story - if you've written a Tolkienesque mythology about it - then it must be accepted.

Are you really asking? It's a goofy face that I painted some years ago, and eventually chose as my avatar. Probably because I found it kinda striking without being edgy, crazy or otherwise trying to impress. Just a recognizable, grinning face. I eventually started classing it up; adding a hat, monocle and scrawly signature. I like it, and even if you don't, it is not trying to piss you off, or send any kind of message. The end.

Quote from: dallasman on November 30, 2019, 09:44:04 PM
Are you really asking?

No not really. I couldn't care less. But thanks for wasting your time with the explanation.