Honestly does anyone else do this?

Question

When I see someone who looks familiar, but I can't tell whether or not it is the person I say the person's name. If they turn around and respond, then it's them and we talk. If it's not them they'll think I'm talking to someone else and keep going without responding and I let it drop. I'm taking a creative writing class, and I had one of the character's in my story do this and everyone was confused. What do you do when you aren't quite sure it's the person because it's been so long or it's that back of their head or something?

MsBittner · Accepted Answer

It sounds like your classmates just didn't understand what you'd written, which is the fault of the writing, not the practice of going with the name you think is right and faking it if it's wrong.

I suspect putting it in a close point-of-view, so we know the thoughts of the character doing it, would make it perfectly clear.

There, in the green hat--was that Len, from the party last Friday? Or was is Ben? No, Len. Maryn sped up to put herself in call-out distance. He was that cute. When she was within fifteen feet, she raised her voice. "Hey, Len!" She waved a pink mitten. The guy turned around. Not Len, or Ben, or anybody she'd seen before. She called louder. "Len!" She jumped and waved both her mittens, crisscrossing them overhead to draw the attention of someone distant. Several people glanced her way. Not-Len turned and trudged onward.

Way short of deathless prose, but it's clear what's going on, right?

wanderer · Answer

I bet u dont involve urselves with negative thinking

u are having a doubt and clarifying it in ur own way there's nothing strange 

if u are concerned people are thinking wrong abt it then change the way of clarification "just ask the person have we met before"
there should not be anything odd abt it then

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Honestly does anyone else do this?

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