Saturday, November 15, 2008

I am a FRIEK!

Okay...so WHY would I say such a thing about myself--well the truth is that it is time that I acknowledge my strange gift. We all have been given strange gifts some that we are born aware of and others that we come to accept, love, and deal with. SOOO...what is it I am getting at...? Well as some of my long time friends have discovered I have an unbelievable LONG term memory. My short term memory sucks rocks! I could hardly tell you what I did yesterday (I have been told that is due to Long term use of meds for my OCD--but justify it as I may...I think I am just stupid sometimes...NE WAYS---I digress), however I can tell you stories that often you won't remember and many I would like to forget. Okay...so that is dealable right? It goes a bit further, I have anability to recognize people I hardly knew, after having not seem them for long amounts of time. This wasn't such an issue when I lived in North Carolina, afterall how often did I really run into people on the streets that I went to college with or high school, but having returned to St. Louis I have opened a huge can of worms. Here's the latest story:
So Friday I am at my work picking up Alyssa from school, a girl walks by the doorway as I am standing in the room, I recognize her without a moment's hesitation and say "Hey Jessica"---She is walking by so she returns...she looks at me, I say "Jessica---Melanie Silva"---Now she is frieked out---and we talk blah blah blah. This was not a close friend, or anything, just someone I chatted with at times. It had been sixteen years since I saw her and undoubtedly we BOTH look different, yet my mind recognizes her. The worst part is I cannot tell you the number of times I have done this and it is like I cannot control myself---we all know I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut---but this is like some friekish, tourette's syndrome thing---I know you, I see you, I must yell your name whether you know or remember me or not. SO there you have it...it has created some pretty interesting moments (especially on a number of occassions when the person has no clue who I am and how the heck I know them (until of course I use my gift to tell them exactly where we knew eachother from) and then they feel sheepish if they have no clue. Oh well...what are your unique gifts? Spill the beans friends!

6 comments:

Samantha said...

I think it is a good gift! When I was younger I could tell you what day of the week any date would be on.

Bailey's weird gift is he likes getting shots at the doctor's. Really.

Pinky Homer said...

I think it is a gift too ... I wish I could remember things and especially people. There are times that I see people I recognize but have no idea where from and I hide and hope they don't see me either b/c I don't want to embarrass me or them by the fact that I have no idea who they are. I know I'm weird in that sense but that's my coping mechanism!

Anonymous said...

Well this explains a lot. I never remember you, but thank goodness for your memory.

Garity said...

It is definately a gift because I have it too! (my short term memory is also crap) I've shocked many people also and I rather enjoy it! The funniest time was when I was a waitress (about 22 years old) and was waiting on a table when I looked at the guy and blurted out his full name, middle name included. I hadn't seen him since first grade when I had gone to his school for only one semester before moving overseas! We hadn't been friends or anything and I hadn't even thought of him once over the years. Sad thing was he had no clue who the heck I was and I looked like an idiot trying to remind him. But I guess I wasn't much of an idiot because we endded up dating for a while and I still keep in touch with him and his family.

Unknown said...

That's great Garity....it's one of those mixed blessings I think...but I have to say that yours does top any I can think of off hand. I just wish I could control my mouth, but my brain throws it right out it before I can stop and think. Oh well...like you said provides for some interesting life experiences!

Gillie said...

I have a gift for being oblivious. I can see people I know currently at the store or wherever and walk right by without 'seeing' them. It's not because I don't like people or I want to offend them, I'm just in my own world most of the time.