Contextual Recognition

I meant to write about this on Saturday, but I got distracted by watching movies.

On Friday night, I attended a firm-sponsored event in one of the outlying Virginia suburbs, and then went out with some of my coworkers to a bar in the Farragut North-Dupont Circle area. The bar was really loud and smoky and crowded, as expected, and because I drove, I wound up having one drink and then heading back home at about 1:30.

Anyway, when I first got there, I was standing outside with a couple of people, waiting for some of the others to meet up with us from down the street. They walked up to us, and one of the guys said "Dara? I know you!"

I wasn't really paying attention, so at first I'm like, duh, you're one of the summer associates working for my firm. But I looked at him, and he wasn't with us. And I recognized him, but I didn't remeber from where.

He introduced himself, just as I was making the connection. He was a friend of one of my friends -- someone that I occasionally played poker with. I had even been to his house before. I asked if he knew the summers -- since he walked up with them at the same time -- but it turns out that it was just a coincidence that he walked up at the same time.

Of course I was bothered by the whole incident, because apparently, not all of my synapses were firing correctly. I'm generally really good with names and faces, and until this week, I don't think I ever had one of these episodes where I didn't recognize someone out of their usual context. I hope this isn't one of those "getting older" things. I mean, I'm only thirty.

So, my question is whether this has ever happened to anyone else? And if so, were you embarrassed by it?