The Thing About Names

I have an incredible ability. But it causes lots of life stress and awkwardness, so it may be better categorized as an incredibly awful ability.

What is this ability you ask? Flying? Psychic powers? Bending space and time? Nope. I have the incredibly awful ability to forget a name about five seconds after it’s been told to me.

Yep. I’ve counted.

I don’t try to do this. On the contrary I try really hard to remember people’s names. I do all the crazy things. Like that girl Brooke I met the other day with the crooked nose. (See what I did there?) I still remember her name, so it’s not every name I forget. But it is most of them.

It’s probably to do with how I learn. I think it’s a design thing. I need to see the name represented visually. Because, by golly, I can remember the names of people in the service industry who wear name tags. I still remember tired, gray-haired Wendy who works at the Kmart. I still remember Chuy who hooked me up with a sweet tire deal.

But you? If we’ve just met, I have no idea who you are.