When you just wish a black hole would open up

Re: When you just wish a black hole would open up

Natasha Wilks — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 11:41:00 GMT

The problem is everyone looks familiar to me.. I don't know why and I'm working on getting better with names.

I've had some really impressive stuff ups and highly embarrassing!

I had a client with her wallet open with a picture of a man in his young twenties and 2 small children, so I asked if they were her grandkids. She was very horrified and explained it what her husband years ago and their kids.

Then I confused a husband and wife (much younger husband and older woman) for a mother & son. I wish the ground would open up and swallow me.

I've learnt, never ask and never assume!!

Re: When you just wish a black hole would open up

Alan Tevendale — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 18:31:27 GMT

[quote user="plantagenet"]

I am utterly hopeless, but I can remember their phone numbers (less useful) so much so that when people come to collect their animals post op in the evening I cannot remember them from the morning.

[/quote]

I'm very similar. Can't remember faces at all - certainly gets tricking from time to time. Numbers I'm fine with - the look of terror on a clients face when you can reel off their number from memory.

Re: When you just wish a black hole would open up

plantagenet — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 18:24:07 GMT

I heard a thing on radio 4 about face blindness - apparently some people are better at remembering faces than others.

I am utterly hopeless, but I can remember their phone numbers (less useful) so much so that when people come to collect their animals post op in the evening I cannot remember them from the morning.

Luckily, my nurses know this and prime me or make obvious comments so that I pick up names and visit reasons.

After I've seen someone a few times, its ok, except out of context, like in the supermarket.

Re: When you just wish a black hole would open up

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:30:08 GMT

The local sandwich bar is not the first place one would think of for a similar scenario but last week there was new employee who happened to be the owner's sister and is my client. However sister one (owner) often asked my opinion on her cachectic old cat and I suggested it might be prudent to have it examined. A little while ago it died and the mood in the shop was sombre for that day. However last week when I met both sisters in there together and remarked how similar they were I blurted out to sister one that at least sister two looked after her cat a bit better (although this wasn't ill intentioned I can't think of any way such a remark could be interpreted as anything less than malicious) at which point sister two reminded me that I put her cat to sleep last year. A double dose of putting your foot in it if there ever was one. I apologised for my gaff and they appear to have forgiven me, at least its all smiles again at lunch time and I haven't had a dose of food poisoning. Yet!

My father had another WW2 moral for circumstances when you're stuck for something to say: 'Its better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt'.