Finally…I mean finally I have learned today its not just me with this impossibly humiliating trait. My wife just sorta gives me that look during those cocktail parties or swim meets when I do the usual “oh, hey bud…how are you” things. Both males and females, kids, dogs, whatever have simply become “buds” to me because I simply cannot remember their names. Well, I think I know there names, but I have a moment of panic when I see a familiar face and I think to myself, “I will probably get the name wrong and I will feel like a real idiot so I’m going with BUD”.

And what I’ve learned today and not been fully aware of until now is this happens because of what you mentioned…I am always thinking about my cleaver response while someone is talking…I’m not really listening because I am obsessed with entertaining others with my dry wit and so on. Anyway, I feel so much better knowing many others have this problem and there are ways of dealing with it. Cool.