I am simply awful at remembering names. Well, let me correct that.
I am simply awful at remembering people's names. I don't know why. I've heard that if you use someones name in a sentence immediately upon meeting them, it helps, but that makes me feel weird which may be why I can't do it.
"Hi, my name is Bob and this is my wife Jehoosophat."
"Your name is Bob and your wifes' name is Jehoo... Juhov.... Guesswhos-sofat.... It's great to meet you."
Sure, I could have responded with something like "Hi Bob and Jehoos..Jessi... my you have such an interesting name." But that just seems so cliche'.
I feel awkward.
So I'm just left to saying to myself "Bob and J... Bob and J... Bob and J..." The whole time you're talking to me. So I'm really missing out on the conversation:
"I'm a cardiac surgeon"
"Yeah, we need those...Bob and J... Bob and J... Bob and J..."
"My wife is French."
"Ah yes, snails.... Bob and J... Bob and J... Bob and J..."
"We have a Pug named George"
And then a rather loud DING DING DING DING DING goes off in my head.
"GEORGE, That's great! I love that name for a pug ... George. I love atypical dog names, why I myself once had a dog named...."
And there you have it. I am now involved in the conversation. I have no idea who you are other than being George's owners and I will never forget your dogs' name. After a while my girlfriend will walk up to me as I'm still talking to you about George and all of his crazy antics and I will introduce her to you; "And these are... well, these folks have a dog named GEORGE!!! Isn't that just great!" I will abandon her with you and then walk away to go to a quiet corner of my own and panic. "Oh man, I hope she asks them their names." And I will worry knowing that I have once again forgotten about the humans and am thinking of their dog... George... ohhhh I bet is so cute and fuzzy. A Pug! Ohhhhhh...
Why do I do that? Why does the animal matter more to me than the person? Why can I watch 50,000 humans get annihilated by an alien race in a movie, but if the dog dies, I AM LEAVING THE MOVIE AND ASKING FOR MY MONEY BACK!!!
Is it their innocence? Or is it that people annoy me? Is it both. I don't know. I can't seem to work it out in my head. I start trying to focus on the matter and find an answer but then I get distracted thinking of the dog in question. Like right now. As I am typing this I am thinking about George. I bet he's grayish with little bug eyes and tiny little paws and that little curly cue tail and smushed face... oh da Georgie Porgie puddin' and Pie... Hims so cute ain't him... and I bet if I squeeze him just a bit, OHHHH look at his little bug eyes bug out just a bit more.... ohhhhhhhh.. so fuzzy... not furry... no, pugs are......
I'm sorry. I wish you hadn't just witnessed all of that.
It's just that there is something about dogs that make them so easy to cherish and love in an unwittingly annoying way. Whereas, people are fickle.
I know that my dog loves me. She tells me all the time. She tells me when I get home and give her a treat. She tells me when I take her for walks and give her a treat. She tells me when I give her dinner and when I give her her 7 o'clock chewie. She tells me when I give her breakfast. And sometimes she tells me two or three times while I'm "sleeping" just in case I forgot there are treats in the kitchen and... heyyyyyyyy... I think she just wants me to feel happy about giving so much. I should move some treats to my nightstand drawer.
Maybe that's it. Dog's want me to feel happy under the "it's better to give than receive" protocol. Where as people just want to waste valuable space in my brain with useless info, like names.
I am going to give my puppy a treat when I proof reed this to her later. And then I am going to tell her all about George!
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