Trading faces

Many years ago when I was working at Calvin College, I made an important discovery; I have trouble distinguishing faces. And it is not that I don’t recognize people, because I do. It is more along the lines that if I meet two people with very similar features, I will get them mixed up.

This first became evident when we hired some new part time student switchboard operators. There were two girl with very similar features. They were both about 5’6″, 115 lbs, shoulder length light brown hair, blue eyes and average build. To make matters worse, they were both named Karen.

And while I would talk to both of them face to face several times a week, it wasn’t until they were both working together that I made the connection that there were two Karens. This, of course, would explain why some of my conversations with them were met with strange looks.

This problem continues today, particularly with TV and movies. If there are too many characters with similar features, I get confused as to who is who. I need distinguishing features in my characters like Mr T or Dolly Parton. Pacino, De Niro and Stallone used to drive me nuts.

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