Have you ever had this situation where you know somebody well (ie. have met, talked/interacted many times), but don't know his/her name ? Happened to me and found out that it could be real embarassing. Reason for posting here was that tbhp is involved in this story and in a way could be blamed for my not knowing the name - need a scapegoat, right ?
Anyway, this is how it happened. I am in Tokyo for a few weeks on work and yesterday morning when I go to the hotel restaurant for breakfast, I bump into a Indian at the buffet. Given my nature (read as not very outgoing or eager to make new friends), I would have normally not even acknowledged the person's presence at all (unless it was the fairer sex, in which case, ok leave it, wifey could read this). But this time I could not avoid it as we just happened to be reaching out for the same dish.
So, I smile, hoping that he would stop at a courtesy smile and I can go my way. But no, he smiles and says in Tamil, "You from India?". First thought that comes to me is, "OK, I know I dont look like a North Indian, so nothing wrong in assuming me to be South Indian, but how come he assumed that I am Tamil ? I don't really look Tamil. Infact I dont even have the stereotype Mallu look, like for eg. our Benny boy. You look at him and you dont even have to double guess before you can bet your last shirt that he is Mallu.
No offense, bensb. Infact, if somebody told me that I look Mallu, I would take it as a compliment.
Anyway, then I think, OK, he might be knowing only Tamil and so used Tamil. Ofcourse I found later that he is a Mallu, born and brought up in Chennai, hence the Tamil. God, is there no place you can be in peace without these wandering Mallus ?
He could still have used English, right ? Anyway, who cares about languages. As long as he did not talk in Japanese, I am fine. OK, so as Indians do, we exchange notes - where we work, how long here, where in Chennai and stuff.
And then he says he works for Amex at Chennai. I am like, "Where's the office?". When he says, "Spencers Plaza", I say, "Hey, I know someone there". And then he asks me the name. I almost say, "slipstream", before I realise that it is his tbhp nickname. And I am racking my brains for his actual name, but ofcourse I dont know it. So what help is it going to do even if I pound my brains with a sledge hammer?
I am like, "OK, the name is.... wait a minute..... it is..... ". Finally, I tell him that the name is right there at the tip of my tongue, but not able to get it. And that will tell him later.
First thing I did after coming to office was PM slipstream for his name. I am still waiting, slip. Respond.
It was surely embarassing. But do we have a solution ? There are so many of us on the forum (13000) and of these, we interact with many online. And of them, many we meet at tbhp-meets and still dont know the names. I have met so many tbhp-ians (Chennai and Blore), but dont know the names of the majority. Anyway, should start with knowing the names of atleast the Chennai guys, for starters.
Why the heck can't you guys have a nick same as your name, say "jkdas" or madan80 or n_aditya or navin etc, instead of stupid junk like supremeBaleno for instance ?