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Nervous Rex

High-functioning autistic
V.I.P Member
Today, as I was walking down the hallway at work, a lady walking towards me called out "Richard!"

I instinctively turned my head toward her, because that's what you do when someone talks. She looked at me and asked, "Are you Richard?"

My name is nowhere near Richard, and I said, "No", and she said "Huh?"

I had no idea how to react. The whole interaction made no sense to me, and I thought, "Maybe I misinterpreted her. Maybe she wasn't even talking to me, like she was using a wireless earpiece or talking to someone past me." So I didn't say anything more and just kept walking. You know, the "act casual and maybe they won't notice you" walk.

I ran into her about an hour later, and she said, "I'm sorry for calling you Richard." I told her my name and she said she knows me because we worked on a project together ago (not that I remember it and she couldn't name the project but, fine, I'll take her word for it). She said, "I know that I know your face, but I just said the first name that came to mind."

And immediately, I went from "Who's this weird person?" to "What just happened to you is my life, every day! I totally understand you!"

...Aaaand now I know how awkward I look when I do that.
 
Today, as I was walking down the hallway at work, a lady walking towards me called out "Richard!"

I instinctively turned my head toward her, because that's what you do when someone talks. She looked at me and asked, "Are you Richard?"

My name is nowhere near Richard, and I said, "No", and she said "Huh?"

I had no idea how to react. The whole interaction made no sense to me, and I thought, "Maybe I misinterpreted her. Maybe she wasn't even talking to me, like she was using a wireless earpiece or talking to someone past me." So I didn't say anything more and just kept walking. You know, the "act casual and maybe they won't notice you" walk.

I ran into her about an hour later, and she said, "I'm sorry for calling you Richard." I told her my name and she said she knows me because we worked on a project together ago (not that I remember it and she couldn't name the project but, fine, I'll take her word for it). She said, "I know that I know your face, but I just said the first name that came to mind."

And immediately, I went from "Who's this weird person?" to "What just happened to you is my life, every day! I totally understand you!"

...Aaaand now I know how awkward I look when I do that.

Its really cool when these little chunks of weirdness turn into something cool...
It doesn't happen often, but when it does and when we recognize it, LIFE (for just a little while) seems not so complicated.

So maybe "Richard" was a mistake that led you to an awareness and opened a door to a new friend... : )
 
I was once called a variant of Richard.

Didn't understand either.

Thought maybe he was asking the time.

"10.45"

He was actually shouting "dickhead"
 
Sooo, I can just call people "Richardhead" and smile my cheshire grin and move on with no repercussions.
Its just sounds a little complicated... but then I tend to be complicated, so this works just fine... : )
 
"Wheaton's Law". :p

I'd post the YouTube video...but the language factor and decorum dictates otherwise. ;)
 

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