Social Awkwardness

I don't think anyone would consider me an overly friendly person. It is not that I am unfriendly, I think it is just more my nature to be more to myself rather than more outgoing. When someone is extremely friendly and social, it is natural that they will meet a lot of people and make many friends. I think meeting new people and making new friends is a great thing--except for one problem. Once you have met someone once, there is an unspoken expectation, a certain social eticate, that you must remember that person the next time you see them. Not only must you recognize them, you must remember their name, and you even must remember some things about them so you can start another conversation. That is pressure. That is exhausting. That is why I am not overly friendly. Let me relate an experience I had the other week that strengthened my stand as a friendly, but not overly friendly person.
Last Saturday, my friend, who is an extremely friendly person, and I were at Macys grocery shopping. I had already checked out and waiting for my friend when I saw a girl that looked familiar to me. She didn't see me, so I was able to take some time and try to recall her name. It came! She was in our freshman ward. We weren't super friends but we did know each other, certainly enough to greet each other upon an unexpected encounter at Macys. I walked up to her and said hello, not knowing if she was going to recognize me or remember my name. She saw me and said, "Oh my gosh!" and gave me a hug. We chatted for a little bit when my friend, who I remind you was in our freshman ward and had hung out with this girl before, walked up to us. She looked at him and said, "Oh my gosh! Ben Tingey!" and proceded to give him a big hug. Out of the many responses I could have expected from him, I never saw this one coming. He said with a completely blank and almost desperate expression on his face, "Yep...that's me." I had to hold back a smile :) He looked as if he had never laid eyes on this girl before in his life. He felt awkward. She looked confused. And I was basking in the entertainment of the situation. I admit...I got lucky. I remembered her name. My friend...not as lucky. I got away with being friendly this time. He did not fare as well. Maybe next time we will both be a little more cautious before we meet someone and thus bring upon ourselves the social expectations that follow friendliness.