Uncomfortable Situations

I believe I have admitted it to you.  I have a serious problem with recognizing people.  I'm quite sure I could NEVER pick out the correct criminal suspect in a police line-up.  I actually have decent memory skills.  I can remember haircuts I did 2 years ago, I remember birthdays, and remember the words to songs(for the most part).    That said, I have never been good with faces or really any details about people.  If you get kidnapped while you are with me... I may not actually be able to help out the police with what color shirt you were wearing that day, or what color your eyes are.  Sorry..

This can be a huge problem when I'm out in "the real world" away from work.  People find me in the grocery store, or at the mall.  They know me.  I have no freaking clue who they are.  I feel really bad about that.  So, I have learned (as well all have to at one time or another) to fake it.  I smile, ask how they are, and more importantly how their pets are.  If I can just get out of them what their pet's name is without letting on I have no hope of remembering their face, I'm golden.  Once I hear the pets name, it all comes back to me. 

I of course will remember the pet's name every time.  If pets were out shopping by themselves.. I'd be able to greet them by name every single time!  Give me 4 seemingly identical Shih Tzus, and I can tell you their names.  Sad, right??  I blame it on the fact that I spend a grand total of about 4 minutes with each human client that comes in.  I will spend at least 3-4 hours with their pet.  At least that is what I keep telling myself.

I leave you with my latest meeting with a client at a local art fair.  My facebook friends have heard this already.  Thankfully she spit out the dog's name immediately, so I was doing well.  She was quite excited to see me and wanted to introduce me to her Mother, a woman in her 70's.  She told me "This is "Molly's" Grandma!!"  Her Mother responded to this by telling me "It's OK that she calls me a dog's Grandma, because we all know what they call a dog's Mother".  I guess we do all know that.  I hope that I kept a fairly straight face when I told her "I guess you have a point".  HA!!