Page 121 - How to Develop A SUPER-POWER MEMORY

Names and Faces 125
again, so, you say, "Nice to meet you," and you never bother
to get the name right. You may even spend some time talk-
ing to the person and finally say good-bye, and still not hear
the name properly.
The only thought most people will give to this situation,
is a self-questioning, "Gosh, what was that person's name.
That nice gentleman I spoke to the other day?" When no
answer is forthcoming, the entire thing is shrugged off with
an, "Oh, well," and that's that!
This is how people find themselves talking to others, and
addressing them as, Buddy, Old Pal, Fella', Sweetheart,
Honey—anything you can think of to keep from finding it
necessary to use the person's name, while you squirm with
embarrassment because you don't know the name. Oliver
Herford put it this way, when he gave his definition of the
word, "darling": "The popular form of address in speaking
to a person of the opposite sex whose name you cannot
at the moment recall."
Here, then, is your first rule for remembering names:—
Be Sure You Hear The Name In The First Place! As I said
before, you see the face, so the odds are you will recognize
it when you see it again. You can only hear the name, so
get it right. I have yet to hear anyone complain, "I know
your name, but I can't seem to remember your face." It is
always the name that creates the problem. So, to repeat, Be
Sure You Hear The Name!
Don't let the fellow that's doing the introducing get
away with double-talk. If you haven't heard the name, if
you're not absolutely sure of it, ask him to repeat it. Some-
times, even after hearing a name, you may not be sure of the
pronunciation; if that's the case, ask the person to spell it
for you. Or, try to spell it yourself; he'll correct you if you
spell it incorrectly, and, he'll be flattered by your interest
in his name.