Have you ever seen a friendly face and being so sure that it’s your friend Susie that you go up and start a lengthy conversation with this woman whom you think is your friend Susie?
Well, that’s what happened to me today at Joeten Supermarket in Susupe, Saipan. Miwa and I went there to get some tape to wrap her knuckles for our Mixed Martial Arts class. As we’re entering Joeten I see James’ wife, Deece. [James is our Koru Gym instructor]. So being the nice guy that I am, I proceeded to walk up to this woman, who’s not pregnant (again, I’m certain it’s Deece, who’s expecting a baby in 11 days) and called her by her name, “Hey Deece!” And I didn’t want to be rude and not remember Deece’s daughter, Katelyn Rebecca so I called the little girl Katelyn Rebecca.
Remember, I’m still 100% sure that this is Deece.
So I get this somewhat strange look, but I think to myself you know when I first met Angelo (another Saipan blogger) in person it was awkward too. And since me and Deece have only seen each other once before it’s only natural that she’s feeling weird around me because most of our interactions have been online on our blogs.
Ok, this isn’t even the worst part. Unfortunately for me, the nice lady (whom I think is a teacher at one of the 20 schools I cover and I am so terribly sorry I forgot your name and called you Deece) never corrected me because she didn’t know why I was being weird and she didn’t want to embarrass me. [Update: May 19, 2007 - Ok, I ran into the mystery woman today and apologized for mistaking her for Deece. Her name is Jennifer, a teacher at KHS. Jennifer is the daughter of Tilde Rosario who works at CGC.]
So I went on my merry way to get some sports drink, met up with Miwa, went through the checkout line and left Joeten.
“That was nice,” I told my wife, “seeing Deece.”
So we went to our MMA class, had a great training session, went to Blockbuster to ask Tyronne and Ando to hold some movies for us to be picked up later, went to eat dinner at Kinpachi, then went to get our movie DVDs from Blockbuster.
Again, I’m still clueless and have not realized that it was not Deece whom I was talking to.
So on the way home, Miwa mentioned to me how great I am at remembering people’s faces and names.
“Yup, I’m good,” I proclaimed proudly.
Actually my wife was questioning whether that was, in fact, Deece, because Deece is currently still pregnant, dark hair, and taller.
So as we’re talking…it FINALLY occurred to me (over 5 hours later)…oh my GOD…it wasn’t Deece!
And to make matters worst, I think I asked that woman when she was going to deliver!
As I’m typing this I can hear the sounds of laughter coming from my wife. In fact, she was laughing at me while she was in the bathroom. Apparently, making a complete fool out of myself is something I’ve become quite good at these days.
Deece Revilla (James’ wife), I am so sorry (although you had no idea that so much drama was going on) that I mistaked another woman (who was not pregnant) for you.
The other woman (whom I thought was Deece), I am REALLY, REALLY sorry and soooo EMBARRASSED. First, that I called you by another name and then asked you when you were going to deliver your baby. You were so polite and I kept talking and talking. I even called your kid by the wrong name!
Oh My God…and they call me a “Behavior Specialist?!” God help us all. Sorry, I have to stop here because Miwa and I can’t seem to stop laughing. Me at myself and she at me.
April 5th, 2007 at 7:48 am
Brainfarters unite! I did that last week at Sara Market in front of my kids. I thought I saw this guy who works with the school. He actually works at another school. He said “hi” because we knew each other, but didn’t know I thought he was someone else. I said, “hey, we got some money for you so stop by later and pick it up.” He smiled and nodded and I walked away smiling too. Then my son said, “um mom, that’s not so and so.” I wanted the frozen foods section to swallow me up!
April 5th, 2007 at 7:51 am
So did he ever stop by for his money?
April 5th, 2007 at 8:42 am
If he did I would be hiding in the maintenance shack to avoid the embarrassment. I saw him again at PD and we both kind of turned away. How do you tackle that? “um, remember that time when I thought you were…”
April 5th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Oh my gosh, Steve, I’m sorry, but that’s hilarious!
April 5th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Boni: Yeah, that would have been awkward if he had come back for his money.
April 5th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
Deece: It’s one of those embarrassingly funny moments in life.
April 7th, 2007 at 7:20 am
You’re funny Steve! I did that once to a guy I thought was my friend Doug. He was sitting down stretching before a vball tournement and I went over to sit next to him. I started talking and poking at him like I knew him. I got up and said good bye. But then later at the volleyball tournement my real friend doug came to me with the guy I thought was my friend . . . and started laughing at me! Turns out that guy was not Doug! He was way shorter and bigger than my friend. Haha But now we are all friends=)
April 7th, 2007 at 9:33 am
Wow, you poked him? Hahaha. Yup, that’s bad. Thanks Bev. I’m glad I didn’t try to rub that poor woman’s belly…you know especially since she wasn’t pregnant.
April 10th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
Steve, you’ve just inspired me to blog about a similar experience. Tune in to my blog later and find out.
Oh, and, Steve — it happens to the best of us, so not to fret.
April 10th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
Thanks Cinta. It’s funny every time I look back on things like this, but it’s so embarrassing when it does happen. But, that seems to be the story of my life. There should be a movie about me and embarrassing moments in my life. That would be a great comedy!
April 11th, 2007 at 9:47 am
Sometimes we tend to be full of ourselves in a conversation that we forget to realize whom we are talking to.
You’re not alone in this Steve. But asking the girl when she’s giving birth, well that’s way, way toooooo funny. I wont imagine how she looks like then.
In my job, i meet so many people, they would talk to me like i really do know them, i smile, reply a bit, nod, until i figure who they are, then i would talk really back to them. if i dont remember them, i would in the end ask them or confirm their names. then i apologize.
By the way, is this steve?
April 11th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Marconi: Is that you? I had to email Bev to ask who “The Reveler” was. Since I now know it’s you, no doubt you meet tons of people. It’s always hard when the other person seems to “know” me so well, and I can’t remember their names or where I met them before. What I do is as they’re talking, I’ll recite the ABC’s (in my head) and sometimes the letters of the alphabet help to jog my recall of their names. It’s one technique I’ve used since college. It doesn’t always work though.
June 2nd, 2007 at 9:30 am
this is the other woman… Thanks for recapping this event… I have to admit, I did not correct you at first because I was honored that you even remembered me (even though you didn’t really…) I did not feel bad that you mistook me for another person, but I do feel bad that you thought I was pregnant… HAHA… My husband and I keep laughing…
Marconi, if you read this, this is Mark Mendiola’s wife…
By the way, my “daughter” is not my daughter… He’s my SON… How’s that for laughs… I am not trying to add insult to injury, but I am getting a kick out of this… My husband has embarrassing moments like this almost on a daily basis… (He could not remember my name for a whole month when we first met.)
June 2nd, 2007 at 11:10 am
OK, I *right at this moment* feel “OFFICIALLY TERRIBLE.” Oh my God, will this embarrassment ever end? Jennifer, I am so SORRY again. Looks like this will be one I’ll tell my family and friends in Texas about. Hahaha.