What to do if you don’t recognize someone
Last Saturday Jet, our happy health editor and I (and a very large group) went to a festival. It’s the only festival that takes place in the middle of the city we live, so it is a given that you see a trillion billion people that you know. Super fun, super social. Just sometimes I wish I could have a blind spot for the people that greet me so enthusiastically but I just can’t put a name to the face. Or even worse, a face to the face. Embarrassing, uncomfortable and rude, but let me fill you in on how to deal with the dilemma, because admit it: it’s happened to all of us.
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Option 1
The ideal situation is when you are with someone that also doesn’t know the nameless person. After the warm greeting then you can say: ‘Hey do you guys know each other?’ In most cases the two will greet each other, swapping names. The trick is to listen carefully. Problem solved.
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Option 2
Sometimes I ask, “Hey, where did we see each other last?” In the hope that the other person still knows and the answer will jog my memory. But this will only work with people that you barely ever see. If it’s with someone that you see every week then it will seem a bit silly when they say: ‘Umm, yoga. Every Tuesday night.'(https://amayzine.com/en/2015/jet-de-stressing-with-a-lesson-in-mindfulness-yoga/)
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Option 3
You can be honest and say: ‘Gosh how nice to see you here! Only, help me, where we do we know each other from?’ But again, this works only with those you don’t see so often. The help-me-out strategy is used for those I have met one or two times. Embarrassingly, it’s a well tested method, but I’ve had a lot of success with it.
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Option 4
When the Unknown Person in question is someone that you know that you really should know, take no risks. Fish a little with questions like: ‘Hey how are you? What are you working on at the moment?’ The person will then go into his or her work and that is where you will find the clues. Listen carefully, you never know what may arise.
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Option 5
Wait until there is a hook. Don’t go fishing, don’t ask, just wait. Maybe you recognize the voice? Let them drop something? Go easily and nonchalantly into the conversation and let the other do most of the talking. This method does leave a chance that they still won’t make the connection clear, but hey what is clear is that you are the type that others are not forgetting.
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Option 6
Do the ostrich strategy. As in; dig your head in the sand and avoid. To be honest, I do this more often than should. You see in the corner of your eye that someone is coming and you turn around, walk away or whatever. All of a suddenly you are very much needed on the other side of the room. Very cowardly, but hey, nobody said it was going to be easy.
