Then you try to charade what they look like, then your coworker starts going down a list of other coworkers names and you’re like “Honey, I don’t know anyone’s name, not even yours. Except of Charley from accounting, he as the same name as my nephew, he also kinda looks like him, but as a grown ass man. Then you wonder what would happen if they met, would they become friends? They don’t have much else in commun though… anyways, I don’t know who I spoke to, sorry.
Edit: I didn’t proof read my post until it was posted.
“Oh hey, remember (name)? They worked here like 6 months ago.”
No. No I do not remember that person. I probably didn’t learn their name when they were here, let alone retain that information 6 months later.
Now I just lie, cuz people do NOT like the implication that you’ll definitely forget their name in 6 months, too 😂 “Oh, yeah! That guy! How’s he doing these days?” While I desperately try to conjure a mental picture as they talk about That Guy. Usually the conversation ends with me still not having a clue.
I blame a lot on brain farts when the name I can’t come up with is someone who DOES still work here, “Fuck, why am I not coming up with this name that I 100% do, in fact, know??”
Really they should have been clued in to my horrible memory when I needed the phone number for our other store, that I call multiple times a DAY, to be written down near the phone because I can’t reliably remember it when I need it.
The phone number reminded me of a trick I found to get peoples names. Ask for their number them hand them your phone with a blank new contact to fill in. (Pro tip, screenshot the new contact or you won’t know who it was) Also “What’s your name again?” — “Joe” — “I know I meant your last name, how do you spell it?”. Somehow writing names down helps me. I can read them and remember them at a time when I’m not focusing 100% of my brain to not fuck up our conversation.