First time!

They say that the first impression is the last impression. OK, that was just to give a nice, serious start to the post. My problem with first impressions is this- it turns out that it isn't the first at all! Confused? It means that whenever I meet new people, they tell me something about me which is a little, er, bordering on creepy. So I am not exactly a stranger to them! This post can be best explained with the use of examples:

I:Year 2006; Company training
My friend, who was in the adjacent class, a class with only guys, wanted to get a little "info" about a girl in my class. Don't raise your eyebrows as yet, I can vouch for his harmlessness and the girl in question wasn't exactly a stranger. They studied in the same school, but he wasn't sure. So noble old me volunteered to help out. Now, it so happened that I barely knew the girl's name(we were a class of 80 plus girls) but wondering how tough could it be to talk to another one of the same species, went upto her:

Me: Hi, did you by any chance study in *bleep* school in Ranchi?
Stranger classmate: Yeah! How did you know?
Me: My friend, *bleep*, he told me. *Good words about my friend, introduction etc.*
SC: Oh ok, that's nice. Such a small world!
Me: Yeah. Oh by the way, silly me. I never introduced myself. I am Karuna. *sheepish grin*
SC: I know. *smug, suggestive smile*

II: Late 2006; Company provided room in the hostel
I had got "pity hostel". It's a long story, and an old one at that but for the time being, just know that I had got hostel for a limited period-one month. So here I was, huffing and puffing, dragging my luggage up three floors, lifting it one at a time(had it been a public place, one item would have disappeared by the time I got another). I did not know who my roommate would be and I did not care. To me people aren't a problem, if I can live with this mixture of species, specimen and subjects(of research) known as my family, I can live with anyone. There she was, sitting on her bed, chewing on an apple, amused by my state.

New roomie: Hi, are you moving in here?
Me(*gasp*): yeah, I shall be living here for a month.
NR: Ok, which batch?
Me: *details* What about you?
NR: *details* Which branch in college?
Me: *details* And you?
NR: *details* Aren't you from *college name*?
Me: Yeah! How did you know that? Have we met before?
NR: No, I have seen you on Orkut. *smug, suggestive smile*

III: Flashback time over, year 2008, month of October
It was my best friend's birthday. Everyone was busy so instead of a grand treat, we decided to have ice cream at the parlour known for its fantastic flavours. Of course, now that they know that we are getting addicted to it, the thugs have increased the prices to such an extent that paying for research to grow such ice cream trees would be cheaper! I seem to have got distracted, back to the point! The company involved all of her classmates from college, most of whom I knew just by name, and yours truly. Again, no people problem, so I did not expect to feel out of place and had no hesitation in tagging along. We were supposed to pick up one of her friends on the way.

Best Friend: Sorry I kept you waiting
Best Friend's Friend: No problem, I didn't have to wait that long
BF: *banter*
BFF: *banter* *banter*
Me: *wisecrack*
BF, BFF: ha ha
Me: oh I don't think we have been officially introduced before or met. Hi, I am Karuna.
BFF: that's ok, I know. We have never met but I have seen you a lot in college. *smug,suggestive smile*

Now my problem is this, all three times, the other person involved was a girl! Why are girls keeping a tab on me? Why is it that everytime I introduce myself, I am greeted with that smug smile? Why can't I be anonymous, for a change?

Yeah right. Weird as it may be, I have to admit, it's flattering to learn that people you barely or don't even know, know at least something about you. Famous or infamous, that, is a different point to ponder over, altogether!