Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

I Know That Dude

My stepdad and girlfriend have this unique power. Okay, well...power might not be the right word. It's not like a power that super heroes have.

They can recognize people very well. It sometimes saves me, because my girlfriend will say "Hey...that guy over there. We met him at that artists party a year ago."

And I'm able to think about the party and have something to say when the guy comes over to say hi.

My stepdad can recognize an actor that maybe had a few roles when he was 20, and is now in a movie at 83.

With me, you could've put a wig on Telly Savalas, and I wouldn't have a clue as to who it was.

I remember taking my stepdad to see The Zombies up in San Juan Capistriano. He recognized an actor in the crowd. I thought itwas Dennis Quaid.

When the guy walked by us, my stepdad called him over. He was so flattered to be recognized. He said it hardly ever happens and when it does, people don't know where they've seen him or how they know him. My stepdad was able to rattle off all his movies.

We all talked for half an hour, and he told us about a football movie he was doing with Cuba Gooding, Jr. called Radio (it ended up getting crap reviews, so I avoided it). I did catch the actor in a small part in "Cloverfield".

I often wondered if my failure to recognize people is one of the reasons that I've often gone up to someone thinking they were one person, only to be half way into my greeting, and realize I was wrong.

Now, this doesn't happen often. I'm guessing once a year.

This year, it was at Street Scene. But I'm blaming my girlfriend this time. She pointed to two women smoking near the entrance. She asked, "Isn't that the woman from the dog park?"

I walked up to the masculine gal and said, "So....you get to come out here and party; check out some live music...while your doggie just sits at home, all my himself."

The woman smiled awkwardly, but didn't say anything.

As we walked in, at almost the exact same time said, "Maybe that wasn't her."

Well, yesterday at the dog park, when the woman showed up with her dog Opie in tow, I asked if she was at Street Scene. She replied, "No. I was in the desert that weekend."

I told her the story and she laughed, saying "A few years ago, someone saw a person at Street Scene that they thought was me. I guess I have a twin that goes there."

But what I'm wondering now is...why didn't the woman I approached ask me what the hell I was talking about?

If someone came up to me and started saying "How can you be at a concert while your girlfriends cat was just run over by a car?" I would laugh and say "My girlfriend doesn't have a cat. What are you talking about?" And it would clear everything up.

I was at an event in L.A. last year, and a woman in the lobby of the Marriott kept following me around saying "I know you. You're that actor, right?" I smiled and said "I wish." She continued, saying "I know you. I know you're face. I've seen you in movies." I said, "Well...I never even did a play in high school. But I have one of those faces. Some people say I look like Tom Hanks or Timothy Hutton. Others are less kind, saying it's more of a Jon Lovitz or Bill Murray look."

She shook her head as she walked away saying, "Oh, I'm sorry."

As I've said before about other things, if adults just talked to each other without feeling so uncomfortable, it clears a lot of things up.

At that same dog park, there's a woman that has a Bischon Frise named Jasper. This dog is old, and hates any dog that goes near it. Jasper sits by it's owner, who is the sweetest old lady around, and will snap at every dog.

On occasion, it wanders off smelling the ground (and other dogs butts). But again, it starts fights with other dogs that are playing. She'll smile and yell "Jasper, stop it!!" But she doesn't get off her chair to do anything about it.

Everyone has complained about this dog. But only to each other.

I said to a few of the people, "Well, next time I'll talk to her. I'll just nicely mention that her dog is a bit too aggressive, and it worries some of us. I'll ask her if she can keep it on a leash?"

Now, like most people you try to talk calmly with, she'll probably freak out and start screaming. And if that happens, maybe I'll scream back. Who knows. Idiotic adults always bring out the idiot in me.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

Navy solves San Diego homeless crisis by retiring four locally moored ships

Decommision Accomplished
Next Article

Didja know I did the first American feature on Jimi Hendrix?

Richard Meltzer goes through the Germs, Blue Oyster Cult, Ray Charles, Elvis, Lavender Hill Mob

My stepdad and girlfriend have this unique power. Okay, well...power might not be the right word. It's not like a power that super heroes have.

They can recognize people very well. It sometimes saves me, because my girlfriend will say "Hey...that guy over there. We met him at that artists party a year ago."

And I'm able to think about the party and have something to say when the guy comes over to say hi.

My stepdad can recognize an actor that maybe had a few roles when he was 20, and is now in a movie at 83.

With me, you could've put a wig on Telly Savalas, and I wouldn't have a clue as to who it was.

I remember taking my stepdad to see The Zombies up in San Juan Capistriano. He recognized an actor in the crowd. I thought itwas Dennis Quaid.

When the guy walked by us, my stepdad called him over. He was so flattered to be recognized. He said it hardly ever happens and when it does, people don't know where they've seen him or how they know him. My stepdad was able to rattle off all his movies.

We all talked for half an hour, and he told us about a football movie he was doing with Cuba Gooding, Jr. called Radio (it ended up getting crap reviews, so I avoided it). I did catch the actor in a small part in "Cloverfield".

I often wondered if my failure to recognize people is one of the reasons that I've often gone up to someone thinking they were one person, only to be half way into my greeting, and realize I was wrong.

Now, this doesn't happen often. I'm guessing once a year.

This year, it was at Street Scene. But I'm blaming my girlfriend this time. She pointed to two women smoking near the entrance. She asked, "Isn't that the woman from the dog park?"

I walked up to the masculine gal and said, "So....you get to come out here and party; check out some live music...while your doggie just sits at home, all my himself."

The woman smiled awkwardly, but didn't say anything.

As we walked in, at almost the exact same time said, "Maybe that wasn't her."

Well, yesterday at the dog park, when the woman showed up with her dog Opie in tow, I asked if she was at Street Scene. She replied, "No. I was in the desert that weekend."

I told her the story and she laughed, saying "A few years ago, someone saw a person at Street Scene that they thought was me. I guess I have a twin that goes there."

But what I'm wondering now is...why didn't the woman I approached ask me what the hell I was talking about?

If someone came up to me and started saying "How can you be at a concert while your girlfriends cat was just run over by a car?" I would laugh and say "My girlfriend doesn't have a cat. What are you talking about?" And it would clear everything up.

I was at an event in L.A. last year, and a woman in the lobby of the Marriott kept following me around saying "I know you. You're that actor, right?" I smiled and said "I wish." She continued, saying "I know you. I know you're face. I've seen you in movies." I said, "Well...I never even did a play in high school. But I have one of those faces. Some people say I look like Tom Hanks or Timothy Hutton. Others are less kind, saying it's more of a Jon Lovitz or Bill Murray look."

She shook her head as she walked away saying, "Oh, I'm sorry."

As I've said before about other things, if adults just talked to each other without feeling so uncomfortable, it clears a lot of things up.

At that same dog park, there's a woman that has a Bischon Frise named Jasper. This dog is old, and hates any dog that goes near it. Jasper sits by it's owner, who is the sweetest old lady around, and will snap at every dog.

On occasion, it wanders off smelling the ground (and other dogs butts). But again, it starts fights with other dogs that are playing. She'll smile and yell "Jasper, stop it!!" But she doesn't get off her chair to do anything about it.

Everyone has complained about this dog. But only to each other.

I said to a few of the people, "Well, next time I'll talk to her. I'll just nicely mention that her dog is a bit too aggressive, and it worries some of us. I'll ask her if she can keep it on a leash?"

Now, like most people you try to talk calmly with, she'll probably freak out and start screaming. And if that happens, maybe I'll scream back. Who knows. Idiotic adults always bring out the idiot in me.

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.