"You know me!"

"You know me!" she said with a big smile.

I wasn't sure. It was the first time someone had used those words with me and expected me to know them enough to guess their choice/ reaction/ preference. The fact was, i didn't know her well enough to know her choice- and here, i was being presented with a picture, a group picture, of young men and was expected to correctly 'guess' the man of her choice from that group.

I fumbled, i tried and failed; miserably.

I blamed myself for not knowing her better.

Years later, another colleague used the same words with me when i asked her what she wanted to eat.

"You know me" she said.

"This one is easier to figure out'' i told myself. We had been colleagues for three years and had shared lunch times. I did better.

But there was no stopping her. She continued (and still does!) to use, "You know me" every time we met, for everything; and everytime it turned out something that i didn't know and she expected me to know about her- her choice in fashion, jewellery, her relationship with her mother-in-law, her career choices, her preferences with regard to friends etc etc etc..

I blame myself again thinking may be i didn't pay enough attention to her, may be i should have made an effort to know her better, may be....until recently.

Recently, as i sat with an older acquaintance, who i do know better than i knew any of my colleagues or friends above, she said, casually, in the flow of the conversation, "You know me..."

I sat there, not reacting, hoping this would pass.

She continued, "I am fond of solid stuff- no small diamonds for me...." and off she went on her trail of elaborating about her taste and choices. And i can tell you i was thankful for that. I really did not know all that lot about her; but this time i also made a decision.

I decided, next time anyone says "You know me..."., i am not going to get all self-conscious and blame myself for actually not knowing him/her. It might be a better idea to say, "Actually, I don't think i know you not that well....", as long as i can manage to stop squirming from within and plaster a smile on my face to mask that thumping of my heart!