It Is Great to NOT Get Recognized

One of my major pet peeves is when someone introduces me to a person I have met many times before and the person acts like they have never seen me.  You know how that conversation goes.

“Mary, have you met Dana?”

Mary (name has been changed) looks at me dead in the face and says, “No.  Nice to meet you.”

What are you kidding me?  We have met like 13 times before.  I know you have three children, the last one who was a surprise, your husband hates his job and you walk the Duke trail Tuesdays and Thursdays.

My smiling response is “Nice to SEE you.”  I am southern.  I have met you before and if I responded “Nice to meet you,” it would imply I think it is the first time we have ever met.

Even if it really is the first time to meet someone I always say “Nice to see you” just in case I don’t remember meeting them.  There is no way we can remember every person we ever meet, but after three or four introductions you are running out of excuses.  If you are really bad with names just say, “I know we’ve met, but I am terrible with names.”

But now I have created a situation where people have the best excuse to not remember me.  I have lost enough weight that this last week three different people did not know who I was.

I am not famous so there is no reason for people to know me, but I am talking about real friends and colleagues who when I walked right up to them they looked at me like they had no idea who I was.  It was not until I spoke in my distinctively low, loud voice that tipped them off that they knew me.

One friend looked over my head and when I called her by name she said, “OMG, I was looking for Dana behind you.”

To me I have not changed that much, but I must look enough different to people who have not seen me all summer.  So for a while I will be excited when people don’t recognize me.  But if you ever get introduced to me just say, “Nice to SEE you.”  Even if you don’t mean it.