When you continue living in the same town you went to school in, you are bound to meet at least a few people every now and then that you went to school or worked with at some point. At the grocery store or a coffee shop or something. And sometimes it can be a good thing, if you were and still are friends.
However the majority seems to be people you kind of knew but not very well, making potential reunions something to be avoided. Especially if they now work at said grocery store/coffee shop.
You can:
1.) Acknowledge Them.
You: "Hey long time no see... (insert lack of name)"
Them: "Oh, hi."
You: "So, what have you been up to?"
Them: "I work here."
You: "Oh, yeah... I see............................................"
Why would you do that to yourself???
2.) Kind of imply you remember them but not really (in case it develops into above situation)
Basically just smile and be really friendly, like you would to a kind stranger.
3.) Pretend You Don't Know Them.
This is what I usually do. If you can keep the glint of recognition from your eyes it should go smoothly. Most of the time people don't want to be the one recognizing so by pretending you don't, they won't bother mentioning it.
However there are people who have no sense of social boundaries and will say,
"HEYYYYY remember me???"
If THIS is the case, you now have 3 new options. They are as follows.
1.) Acknowledge Them. But they might ask to have coffee with you or something.
2.) Pretend You Don't Know Them. Ok, that's a little rude, even for me, by this point.
OR...
3.) Temporarily Change Your Name.
Them: "HEYYYYY remember me?"
You: "No actually, what's your name?"
Them: "Rudolph, from History 11! High School?"
You: "I'm sorry, you must have me confused with someone else. I'm (insert plausible alternative name)"
Them: "But..."
You: "Sorry, gotta run!"
Am I a jerk because I don't like talking to bygone acquaintances?
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