Do you like to be recognized?

[AllisonK]

Last year I lived in the freshman dorms and I tended to get mail every few weeks - usually a package from home or something from Amazon. So this year I met the girl who was the Senior RA and in charge of mail in the dorms and she was like "Hey! You got a lot of mail last year, probably the most out of the entire complex!" - now she's one of the coordinators for the tour guide program that I'm involved with in Admissions haha.

 

[Stacerita]

Do you like to be recognized?

Only if I am showered and presentable. I hate being recognized when I roll out of bed and make the quick run to the market or something like that. Other than that, it doesn't bother me to be recognized.

 

[EMom]

When we adopted DD, we had to stop in Moscow for a few days. Without going into detail, DD's adoption was somewhat unique in the manner it was accomplished and word spread regarding our family, first at the embassy and then beyond. On top of that, she stood out among most of the adopted children, as she looked like a Gerber baby, all chubby and looking as if she'd come straight from Central Casting. (Most of them didn't look quite so robust, let's just say.) In other words, even in a city of several million, you apparently could pick us out of a crowd, because everywhere we went people stopped us to ask questions and/or chat. Americans, Russians, you name it. These weren't even people who had seen us at the embassy....they has just been told our story and from that, recognized us when they saw us strolling around with her.

It was beyond unsettling (and that's an understatement) to be in a city where NO ONE ought to know you and still have person after person act as if they DID know you. They knew us, but we didn't know them. They knew our story, but we didn't have a clue about them. We'd see people pointing at us, and eventually realize it was one more person chatting about our story. If it had been a small town, it wouldn't have been a big deal. But it was a city of several million people halfway around the world. So it did freak us out at first. After it kept happening, we became less alarmed and although I can't say we got used to it, we did take it in stride as the days went on.

But for those couple of days, anonymity was shot to heck even though we were in a place where we should have been completely anonymous. Very unnerving.

 

[luvmyboys]

A few weeks ago the cashier at Target said "You come in here a lot, don't you?"

Yeaaaahhh. That was embarrassing. So, to the delight of my DH and bank account, I am making a point to be Target free for a few months!

I've also had a librarian tell me she looks at my holds to see what books have come out that she may be interested in. I suppose there are worse things to be known for, but I was still a little embarrassed.

 

[Micca]

After living in my old hometown for decades I was recognized pretty regularly.
Then I moved about 1000 miles where I only know a few people. This allows great flexibility in wearing my Mickey Mouse Crocs virtually anywhere in town.

 

[*Fantasia*]

oh well... what can you do, right? you go to the same bank every week and the same people work there. you go to your nearest gas station every week or twice a week and the same people work there. you go shop at the same dept store or grocery store or convenient store (7-eleven..) once a week...

some remembers my name, some just recongnize my face and most say hello and ask how i'm doing.. they are more personable with you.

i don't mind as long as they don't mug me or harrass me. it's nice when they acknowledge you and smile at you. they are friendly and so am i. no harm there.

 

[TwinsinCA]

I don't like to be recognized in general as a "regular" of any place. Although there are times it does help.

There is a TV show I see tapings of once or twice a year. After a few times the audience guy started to recognize my name when I'd call in to see the show. I was a little embarrassed but it didn't stop me from going. Then once my name wasn't on the list when it came to check in and the guy there said "Oh no, she's fine".

 

[Quiksilvr]

I don't mind it, but it does make me embarrassed when I can't remember their name. I always find myself saying, "Hello..... you.....!"

I worked with a couple thousand volunteers overs over the past (almost) four years. I really only remember the names of the folks I work directly with all the time. All the rest are by phone or email for the most part.

So.... HELLO!..... you....!!!

This is what bothers me. Whenever I go to my hometown (lived there for 20+ years) I meet people who recognize me and want to chat and I have no idea who they are. I frantically try to remember how I know them during the small-talk but sometimes I come up empty. Even if I remember how I know them, I usually don't remember the name.

Living in DC, the only people who randomly recognize me are the people at my usual breakfast/lunch stops. I don't mind that so much.

I sometimes see former colleagues from law school wandering the streets, which is fine, but it's usually people I wasn't exactly "bosom buddies" with, but since it's a familiar face we feel obligated to stop and talk. It annoys me sometimes, depending on who it is.

 

[mrsbert]

We live in a small town and it seems EVERYONE knows my husband. He's been with the city police department for over 20 years and has met many different people along the way. Of course he also has "details", security side jobs in banks, convienence stores, movie theaters and meets people there too. It seems we are always walking into a place and he has to shake at least 3 people's hand while there. I sometimes find it intrusive especially when someone wants to walk up and talk to him about getting a ticket, complaining about a neighbor, etc.

Every trip out of town or state we always run into someone that knows him. I always joke that he should run for mayor.

 

[OK!]

I have a very unusual last name (thanks to some of my ancestors who thought they'd be creative when coming to America from Germany and celebrate the big move with a new surname...thanks a lot, fellas ), and while it can come in handy sometimes in terms of people NEVER forgetting it, there are also times it might be nice to fade into the woodwork a bit.

 

[sorcerormickey]

OMG! So embarrassing!!

There's a restaurant that by boyfriend goes to a couple times a week after work - they all yell "Michael!" when he walks in. When I'm with him, I just want to crawl under the floor.

 

[janets]

I have this happen fairly regularly at the supermarket. It's a big market, a large chain here in NJ. But it's right in my neighborhood and I started going literally the day it opened. So I recognize many of the employees that have been there and they seem to know me.

Especially the deli counter. I tend to order certain things in very particular sizes. So when I come up and get a number, all of the counter people know me and as a joke, they all try to avoid doing my order since they have to be very precise and careful not to go over, as we know happens often at the deli. It's turned into a game (and my friend's husband had to come with me to witness it). I never get out of there w/o seeing several people I know as well.

My mom has become well known at the local Dunkin' Donuts. She'll stop there a couple of times a week to get a glazed donut for my 6yo and always asked for the "senior" donut price. So they know her. Well, a while back, I went through the drive thru with said 6yo to get him that very donut. I pulled up to the window and when I went to pay, he yells out from the back that I should ask for the senior price. The girl at the window stops, looks at me and says "is your mother the woman who comes all the time for the glazed donut?" Talk about weird!

 

[MM27]

My mom has become well known at the local Dunkin' Donuts. She'll stop there a couple of times a week to get a glazed donut for my 6yo and always asked for the "senior" donut price. So they know her. Well, a while back, I went through the drive thru with said 6yo to get him that very donut. I pulled up to the window and when I went to pay, he yells out from the back that I should ask for the senior price. The girl at the window stops, looks at me and says "is your mother the woman who comes all the time for the glazed donut?" Talk about weird!

I must go to Dunkin' Donuts too much too. When I walk in the door the guy that usually helps me will say, "large coffee cream and sugar". Never have to place an order. I like to throw them off every once in awhile though, so I'll ask for a cookie, doughnut or bagel.

 

[#1hockeymom]

We live in a small town and all of us are known in various stores/banks/restaurants throughout the town. I like it! DS's driver's ed teacher said that teaching people how to drive in our town was hard because we're in a, her words, "microcasm of niceness". Since you see people all the time you let them out when they want to make a left during our after school rush on main street. You don't yell/swear/finger gestures to people on the road. You WILL see them again.

Thus, the driving is safe, but she has to take them into the city so they can learn how to REALLY drive!

 

[Alex2kMommy]

This thread reminds me of the Oprah show I watched yesterday. She said she frequently gets stopped on the street and told, "I was on your show about issue X" or "I was in the audience and you told me Y", quickly followed by, "Do you remember me?"

Her answer was a bluntly honest, "No. No, I really don't. Ever!"

I think in general it's nice to get recognized. Though I will admit to trying to avoid the kooky neighbor, the overly talkative acquaintance, and the like.