I am highly right brained, which means I have a photographic memory for faces, but when it comes to remembering names, I am hopeless.
After my graduation in 1984, I was doing my MBA at the Calicut University Campus. Our department was adjacent to the Examination wing and the local Bank. Since Victoria College, where I graduated from, was under the Calicut University, I use to get a stream of ex classmates and batchmates, who come to the University, either to submit examination forms or to apply/collect Provisional/Degree Certificates. Since all of them knew I was doing my MBA, they used to walk in straight to the Department and solicit my help in getting this done faster in the respective departments.
One day, a lean young fair boy walked in to meet me. I knew the moment I saw him that he was my Classmate, but I plumb forgot his name. I welcomed him expansively and asked him what he was doing in the campus. He had come to apply for his Provisional Certificate and wanted me to go with him to the Certification wing. Happy to oblige, I went with him. All the while my mind was working overtime to remember his name (anyone who had this experience of having trouble remembering something will know the feeling of restlessness one has at these times). We went to the Certification wing, who gave us a Form to fill and asked us to proceed to the State Bank of Travancore counter to pay the necessary fee as a Challan.
On the way to the bank, we met our MBA classmates. Already 30 minutes had passed and I was talking non stop to my Degree classmate without once mentioning his name while he was calling me Raja frequently. I was using the common generic usage 'you', 'ningal', 'mashe'. When my MBA friends accosted me, I saw an opportunity to find out this guys name and introduced them to my Degree classmate. When it was time to introduce this guy to them, I casually turned by back, hoping that he will do so himself, and in the bargain I will know his name. But to my amusement, this guy just said, me and rajan were at Victoria together and went on to talk about other issues.
Now I was getting desperate. We went to the Bank, and to my horror, he thrust the Challan form in front of me and asked me to fill, claiming that it would be better if I were to do it as I have more experience in the matter. Now I was in a soup as the first was the name of the student.
Still proud to admit that I have forgotten his name, casually, I asked him " Can you spell your name for me, as I don't want to make a mistake?"
He was silent for a while and with a strange look, said softly " R.....A....M.....A......N"
I wished that the earth will break into two and swallow me, as, to ask the spelling of such a common name sounded so ridiculous. To say I was embarassed is an understatement.
Raman was very quiet after that. Maybe he thought I was a poor friend or that I was just being snobbish. After submitting the application, he vanished from my life forever.
I learned a valuable lesson that day and have since never hesitated to admit things I dont know or remember.
