Wednesday, August 20, 2008

The me that isn't me


Here's my security badge from work. Do you know me? Do you know my double? There's been another sighting recently of my "twin".

If you recall, I have mentioned in the past that several people have reported to me over the years that they have approached a person they thought was me, only to find out it was someone "who looks exactly like you." One lady went up to a man in a restaurant and was so sure it was me she was convinced "I" was trying to fool her.

The most recent incident involved my work leadman, Gary, who reported to the Scott M. Matheson Federal Courthouse in Salt Lake City recently for jury duty, then later told me he saw a fellow juror he thought was me. "Same hair, same beard."

Are they just looking at the strictly external things, my white beard, my hair? Do they notice my overall build, my height, the clothes I usually wear? Because from the time we're babies we learn pattern recognition. Our mother's face is imprinted, and that extends to those around us. Some people say they can tell it's me if they hear my voice. If someone I know as well as Gary, who I have worked with for 27 years, can't tell it isn't me, then how much does this double of mine look like me? ...or sound like me, for that matter?

Another man asked me a couple of months ago, "Is that you on the Auto Zone poster? I could swear it's you."

I never see this person or persons they think is me...I never see the printed material they say I'm on. I haven't seen the Auto Zone poster. My brother said years ago he attended the play Fiddler On The Roof and thought at first it was me playing Tevye!

As I tell these people who report these elusive Postino sightings: "If the guy looks exactly like me, and he's doing something wrong, then it isn't me." That will cover the bases; then I can go out and do any old damn thing and when people confront me I can say, "Must've been that person who looks exactly like me."

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