don't i know you? Have you ever come across somebody you thought you knew, but it turned out they were not who you thought they were? It was just a total stranger that looked like someone you know? But before you realize it's not who you think it is, you look at the person all close-up as if to say, "Are you that guy I know? You know, that guy? Oh wait, you're not. You're just some other guy"

Of course we have all had this experience, except for maybe some losers who don't know any other people. But here's what's funny about when this happens to me. Even after I realize that they are not who I think they are, for a split second I think that it's okay that I've just spent the last ten minutes staring at a total stranger, examining every last detail of his/her face and body, because the other person should almost recognize me, too. Isn't that the way it should work? After all, if I actually do recognize someone I know, they will probably recognize me too, right? Therefore it follows that if I almost recognize someone, they should almost recognize me, too. "Hey, it's okay that this person is staring at me, he's someone I almost know."

In a perfect world, this is the way it would work. In this world, however, you just get funny looks and restraining orders.
  ¶ monger187 wrote this on 2/01/2005