The Unknown Girl
I had a very sharp memory. Trust me, I did! My friends usually burst out in laughter when I try to convince them about this. I had called to wish my aunt a happy birthday and she quickly stated that Facebook has really made remembering birthdays easy. Well, you don’t really have to remember them now. A nice pop up or a side bar does it for you. I told her that I maintain a spreadsheet with all the birthdays listed on it. So far I trust my memory to look at the spreadsheet. The day does not seem to be very far when the application will trigger an email from your inbox as well. I am simply surprised by the level of emotional disconnect I would have eventually.
I was traveling to New York a couple of weeks back in the train. As I stepped in the train at my stop, I noticed this girl with a familiar face getting in as well. I knew that I knew her! But, I chose to disregard me noticing her as there was just no way could I remember her name. The subway in NYC is as accommodating as the local trains in Mumbai. With every stop it makes, a few people manage to edge out, a few squeeze in and the re-shuffling is never-ebbing. So, after a couple of stops, this unknown girl was right next to me and not noticing her was like disregarding Baba Remdev’s fast! 
Before I could even think of greeting her…
She: Hey Hi Himanshu! What a pleasant surprise? How have you been? XYZ told me that you went on to pursue Master’s. Are you done with it? Oops! Lot of questions… Take your time… 
Me: Errr… Yeah!! 
(At this point, neither did I remember her name, nor did I recollect who XYZ was!! Duhhh!! ) I am here for an internship. I am going to be around until the end of August.
She: Oh that’s great! We should catch up sometime. I am going to get off at 14th. Where are you headed to?
Me: Oh just meeting a couple of friends near 33rd.
She: I guess you changed your number? I have the old one.
Me: Aah.. yes.. I am sorry, the shift from being at work to being a student happened in a jiffy for me. I could not inform a lot of
people.
She: Yeah. I get it. So, what’s your new number?
Me: Oh yes! I am sorry… It’s blah blah blah… What’s yours?
She: I’ll ring you up once I am out of the train.
Me: (Why couldn’t she just give her number? She had to give the insurmountable “missed call”!!! ) ok sure!
I don’t think she even thought that I wouldn’t remember her name. She did give me a “missed call” and I have this number saved in my phone as the “The Unknown Girl”.
I have been trying to figure out her name by asking possible common friends. But behold! Whenever I ask this question to anyone, I only give them an opportunity to have loads of fun at my cost! 
Nostalgia
A few weeks back I got a call from an unknown number. The first thought that came to my mind was that it would be another recruiter calling me to convey rejection. I was going pretty crazy with the internship search then. But well, the sound on the other end of the phone was certainly not that of a nonchalant recruiter.
He: Hi! Am I speaking with Himanshu?
Me: Yes.
He: don’t tell me you still haven’t recognized my voice?
Me (After a blink, viola!!): Ohhhooo!! 
Its you!!
It was an old friend of mine I had lost touch with over the years. Getting back in touch with friends is just so truly invigorating. We indeed had a lot to catch up on. We talked about the amazing trip that we had made while in college. We revisited all our typical hang outs through the conversation, talked about exams, talked about movies and several other nothings of the world. After the call, I got back to the internship hunt, but probably the anxiety was a little abated by the smile on my face…
Well, there are some moments which erase out of our memory too soon and there are these other several moments that we cherish and reminisce for a lifetime. I have certainly come to realize that neither of the two is in our control!
Life’s like that – Of moments to forget and moments to remember!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Life’s Like That” is a segment where I narrate incidences that have transformed from mere thoughts to wonderful memories. Click here for more posts in the segment!
Tags: emotional challenge, life's like that, memory loss, nostalgia, remembering names, the unknown girl
memory is something very allergic to me as well
thats the primary reason i opened a blog, i now recall 
I post something after so long and look who is the first one to comment! yay!
Good to know that you remembered… LOL 
Talk of being allergic to memory or vice versa, and i can have plenty of anecdotes to share
@ Sree
Quoting Celine from one of my fav movies “Before Sunset” :-
“Memories are beautiful until you have to deal with the past!”
Nice blog..as far as your memory goes it does happen with old age!
Thanks Rajan!
I am sure you know what happens with old age..
Being terrible with remembering faces or voices, I can totally understand. But unlike you, I’m terribly blunt too. So I end up asking them their names, the look of total horror that I receive notwithstanding
//the look of total horror that I receive notwithstanding // — LOL
I can only imagine that look. Probably if she calls me, I would be able to know her name. (I hope she isn’t one of those who play the guessing game on the phone 
)
Thanks for stopping by!
it happens..the other day i met a person…i knew she was in my college and hostel but never could recollect my name
so do you expect that “Unknown Girl” to somehow read this blog?
nostalgia…memories..
Thanks for empathizing Sound.
Well, actually, it won’t really matter if she reads this blog. I could not have blunt in asking her her name. This way, I could get to know her name at least..
Thanks for visiting!!
can feel for you buddy! It is a terrifying experience, especially if the other person finds out at that point of time! – have always liked this series of yours! But can’t wish you have more such experience, though would have more on such lines
Ha ha. I am sure you’d have had your share of quips reading this one! I guess such experiences are bound to happen to a bloke like moi
Any update about the girls ???
@ Aman – Girls?? Dude. There was just one girl. The unknown is now known and I also told her that I didnt remember her name the first time.. LOLzz!! We laughed out crazy..
did she get to know through this post??
@ Sound – Naah!! Finally I had to tell her myself!
well my name is sharma and we worked together for some time in a project in your brief stint at cognizant. I hope, wish and pray you don’t forget SLX if not me atleast