Cases of Mistaken Identity

Case 1

After braving the wind, the highway, the hills, the bicycle road rules, and the passing cars, I finally arrived at my destination.

With the enticement of my friend Maita, I just had to get hold of BBC’s North and South. And so I found myself one morning at Borders.

At the counter, I asked for my order. (I was told the night before they’d keep my order for me at the counter as it was their last stock.) It was not at the counter so I was referred to the information section. When I went to the information center, the lady assisting me could also not find my order.

She checked the computer. “Actually, we don’t have that but we could order it for you.” She then apologized how one of their staff mistakenly assured me that the DVD was available in their store. Then she continued, “Let me ask Barnes & Noble (a neighboring competing bookstore) if they have one so you don’t have to come back here in the area.”

Then I asked her Border’s address. She gave it to me. It was different from the address that I had with me.

I sheepishly apologized. I was at the wrong store. I ordered at Barnes & Noble and not at Borders. Sorry!


Case 2

In the middle of watching tv and checking my emails, I put a plaster on one of my hurting fingers (from paper cut). After doing so, I still felt pain when using the keyboard.

The cause: I placed the plaster on a neighboring unhurt finger.

Case 3

“Camille!” I excitedly greeted and approached a girl who was coming out of our International Law class. I thought for the longest time she was the Filipina JD (Juris Doctor, in other words, a law student) I knew enrolled at Notre Dame.

“No, I’m not Camille.” The girl said smiling and walking away leaving me laughing at myself.

The next day I happened to greet the right Camille. Yey!

Case 4

One night, a colleague and neighbor came by the apartment to bring me a book he said I left in our classroom a few hours before. Without question I accepted the book and thanked him.

The next day when I checked my bag, my book was there. The “found” book was lost after all. It reunited with its true owner one week later.