Staying Humble

Last week I spent a day at the University of Connecticut leading a workshop at the Third Statewide Student/Teacher Writers Conference. Nancy Springer gave the keynote address. Now, Nancy Springer and I were both at the same literary tea sponsored by Penguin Putnam in New York City a couple of years ago, and I am a hundred percent certain we actually met. Briefly. But nonetheless. So I, who am not a naturally outgoing run up and greet people sort, decided I would make a point of speaking to her. I saw her for a moment at the beginning of the day, missed her address because I felt my workshop needed a little revising before I led it again in the afternoon, and caught her, literally, on my way out the door that afternoon. I stopped her in the hall, told her who I was, and said that I thought we'd met at a literary tea for Penguin Putnam. Well, of course you've probably guessed that she didn't know me from Adam. No recollection of me whatsoever. That's because in addition to not being very outgoing I'm also not very memorable.

Why do I find this story so funny?