How do I figure out how I know this woman???

Anonymous
There is a mom at my kid's school who I know from somewhere (and she knows me from somewhere) but I don't know where. She is very friendly and always stops to say hi and ask how we are and knows my kid's name. I missed the window on having the awkward conversation of "how do we know each other" figuring at some point it would dawn on me. It's been months and it hasn't.

I've been through everywhere I think I could know her from but am still coming up empty. I guess at some point it just won't matter anymore? She's very nice and I enjoy talking to her but I feel terrible that I can't place her. I've lived in DC for so long now and have known people in so many different contexts (work at multiple jobs, a grad program, a part time teaching gig I had for a few years, different neighbors, volunteer orgs, plus all the many kid-related settings, etc.). I used to be so good at recalling how I knew people but in my late 30s this started to fall apart and now I'm in my 40s and it's so much harder.

Anyone have some kind of trick I could use to figure this out? It's driving me crazy.
Anonymous
Can you introduce her to someone else and see if she says it?
Anonymous
Are you in Arlington?
Anonymous
Something similar happened to me where I met a mom, and we both recognized each other’s name and face and thought we knew each other from somewhere, but we couldn’t figure out any common past interaction. We never did figure it out, but in this case, neither of us knew. Presumably the other mom knows in your case?
Anonymous
People often think they know me (weird) and make conversation with me. Sometimes I just play along to make it less awkward. I look like a famous person who has a similar look to other famous people so I think its just the familiarity that makes them think they know me.
Anonymous
Did you try linked in? Or facebook or other social media to see if you have common friends?
Anonymous
Have you searched her name in your emails? When I couldn't place someone, I found an old email showing our kids went to preschool together.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Something similar happened to me where I met a mom, and we both recognized each other’s name and face and thought we knew each other from somewhere, but we couldn’t figure out any common past interaction. We never did figure it out, but in this case, neither of us knew. Presumably the other mom knows in your case?


I do think she knows where we know each other from. The thing that is driving me nuts is that she appears to have some level of affection for me and for my kid, which is so kind, but also indicates that we knew each other more than just in passing. This is making me feel terrible, if I had some kind of friendship (even a casual or short-lived one) with this woman and I simply do not remember it.

Her face is extremely familiar to me but I cannot place her.
Anonymous
Oh and I should mention, I do not know her name! This is part of the problem. We only see each other in passing as our kids are not in the same grade or class. I also do not know her kid's name so I can't look it up in the directory. I'm flying totally blind here.
Anonymous
probably a rave or orgy lol
Anonymous
Are your kids the same age? Maybe you used to see her at the playground or some random activity/lesson when the kids were little.
Anonymous
Maybe person has a common face and you think you know her but you actually don't? If she is friendly, that is all that is, she is being friendly. Or maybe you met at a party once upon a time, had a few too many drinks and....oops now it's awkward?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Oh and I should mention, I do not know her name! This is part of the problem. We only see each other in passing as our kids are not in the same grade or class. I also do not know her kid's name so I can't look it up in the directory. I'm flying totally blind here.


Ask your kid what her kid’s name is…
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Are your kids the same age? Maybe you used to see her at the playground or some random activity/lesson when the kids were little.


Her kid is a year behind mine. Her kid also looks familiar to me, so I do think we must have met at a kid related activity.

I think it must have been some pre-Covid or Covid era activity or childcare situation. But I've been through all the ones I can think of still can't place her. So frustrating.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Oh and I should mention, I do not know her name! This is part of the problem. We only see each other in passing as our kids are not in the same grade or class. I also do not know her kid's name so I can't look it up in the directory. I'm flying totally blind here.


Ask your kid what her kid’s name is…


I did! She doesn't know.
post reply Forum Index » Off-Topic
Message Quick Reply
Go to: