People I Meet

To preface this story, I would like to say that I went to three different elementary schools, two junior highs, and two high schools (and only went two years to high school) and so....did not always get to know people as well as someone who lived the same place forever might have.


Guy at Deseret Book today: Hey, do I know you? (In the voice that implies he does know you, but wants to make sure you know him)
Me: Yeah, you look familiar to me too.
Guy: I think we went to the same high school and junior high?
Me: Really? Which one was that?
Guy: I went to South Ogden and then Bonneville.
Me: Yeah so did I, only then I moved to Mountain Crest.
Guy: Were you in choir?
Me: Uh yeah, I was. (panick in head...still have absolutely NO recollection of guy)
Guy: Yeah, I think we were in Spartones together. Then I was in Laker choir.
Me: (Thinking, thinking..I never was in Laker choir). Well, then maybe you know my husband? He was in Tapestry and Laker choir! Sterling Haws?
Guy: Oh yeah! I know him! He probably knows my sister,(says sisters name) she knows everyone.
Me: (Still panicking...how do I get out of this conversation????) So...how is life going for you now?
....and eventually the conversation dies out.

The problem with this scenario??? It happens all the time. ALL the time. Does anyone out there realize I have lived in college apartments in the same town for LONGER than I lived anywhere else in my life (just about)???!!?!?! Most people live in one place their whole life, and move around like crazy during their college years. I am the opposite. My parents moved all over the place pretty much every two years. Problem with this? President Monson always comes to mind. He remembers everyone. Made friends with everyone. Remembers that he made friends with them. Me???? I forget practically everyone except the ten or so friends that I actually saw every Friday night as well as every day at school. The rest of the school? Nothing. It makes me feel like a really terrible person sometimes.

Take a few weeks ago for instance, perfectly nice guy seats Sterling and I at a table in a restaurant. He chatters away about how he remembers us from high school and it looks like we really have it together and have a beautiful little family (or something to that effect) he walks away and....neither of us have a clue who he is. Nothing.

There are SOME people I remember...I see them every now and again on campus, at Macey's, and recently just ran into one of my VP's from institute council at Smith's (the whole conversations went something like "How's life?" "Uh...you have a BABY!" "Yeah, and you are an intern that is so exciting! How long of school do you have left?" "Uh...you have a BABY!" "You were just taking the PCAT when I saw you last" "Yeah, and you have a BABY!" Yes, yes I do in fact.). I remember these people. But the MAJORITY of the time someone sees me, acts as if they've known me forever and starts a conversation, and I spend the entire time trying to figure out if they went to Mountain Crest or Bonneville or if they're from North Dakota, from an old ward or from an old job, or maybe even a relative from Canada (I'm a little iffy on my relatives, but give me a break cause I have sixty cousins on just one side). But I'm working on it. Promise. I probably will never be as amazing as President Monson. But I'll keep working at it.