Damn that Short-Term Memory

Anytime I'm out and about, I try to meet as many people as possible. I talk to girls, guys and even the animals. It's something I love to do. There is only one small problem with meeting lots of people in a short amount of time. You forget who you've met and who you haven't.

Take last week for example. After spending all day skiing at Mammoth Mountain, a few of us decide to go out to one of the local bars. While I was there, I took the opportunity to talk to as many people as possible. I met people from all over! LA, San Diego, Denver, New York, Canada...everywhere!

Honestly, I am a man, so naturally much of my conversating may have been with attractive women in the bar. Unless I'm totally drawn to someone, or a group of people, I like to sort of make a "first pass" and meet everyone for a few minutes, then later when I see them again, we chat like old friends.

That is, if I remember meeting them. Note to guys out there: once you've introduced yourself to a girl, try not to introduce yourself to her again! They are generally not too thrilled when you forget. I met a girl from Colorado soon after I got to the bar. About an hour later I bumped into her again, only I wasn't sure if I had met her or not.

We started chatting and when I asked where she was from, she gave me a light slap in the chest and a disgusted look as if I was supposed to remember. As soon as she did that it all came flooding back, but it was too late! She wanted no part of me.

Cross this one off the list.

The thing is, I have a MAJOR disadvantage for remembering a lot of different people in a short period of time. I mean, how many times have you seen a tall Indian guy out and about, doing Michael Jackson moves on the dancefloor and high-fiving people he doesn't know? I feel much more recognizable than John Smith or Joe Johnson.

Yesterday, I almost made a SERIOUS blunder. I was at my favorite coffee shop, The Living Room, reading, when this cute blonde sat at the table in front of me. She was sitting with her back facing me but I had caught a glimpse of her face when she walked in.

As I got up to go talk to her, a guy walks into the coffee shop, and she gets up and gives him a hug. They go to the counter to order coffee, and by the sounds of their conversation, they're on a first date (yes I was eves dropping).

Shucks.

As I go back to reading, I all of a sudden realize that I know this girl! She's this nurse that I met, ironically at a Starbucks, whom I dated a couple of times before letting it die.

Wow. This guy just saved me from some SERIOUS embarrassment. I can't imagine the plethora of scenarios that would have played out had this guy not walked in at just the right time!

I have no doubt that she would've recognized me. In fact, it's pretty ridiculous that I didn't recognize her in right away.

I've come to terms that I just have "one of those faces." Luckily, I haven't met anyone that looks like me (although I do get annoyed when someone says "you look like so-and-so!" I mean, honestly! Does this drive anyone else nuts!?! If anything, so-and-so looks like ME!). If do ever find my twin though, I'll have to start some kind of magic act.