I live in a block of 6 flats, two on each level, and we have two shared gardens, one for the right side families and one for the left. This AIBU concerns the ground floor family below me, who I share a garden with.
Single mother, often has about 3 young children playing in the garden, quite often for most of the day. Sometimes 2 or 4 children, all different ages. I may be in the garden too, and say hello, and introduce myself, and ask for names, but I don't seem to remember their names very well - but then I am terrible with names and faces, always have been.
But it has just occurred to me I might have been being given different names at different times. I remember at least 2 names, but they never occurred again, so I thought nicknames, or middle names or something.
You know when you have known a neighbour for over a year, and you don't really feel comfortable asking their name again, because it seems you should know it.
Anyway, I just saw a girl in the garden, about 11 or 12, local secondary school uniform, and just thought about some mail I had wrongly delivered, and went to ask her her mums name. She said she couldn't pronounce her mums name. So I told her the name on the mail, and she said that is her auntie's name, so I gave her the mail. And I asked her her name.
I don't think I have seen this girl or heard this name before. She is huddled up under a sort of standing platform on an old climbing frame, in the rain, saying her mum will be back shortly. I am not convinced that she knows the woman who's house she is waiting to enter. But she is in a local school uniform, so presumably has proven identity??
I told her to ring my bell if her mum wasn't home soon, and wait in the warm, but I don't think she knew who I was, or where I lived, or that we share a garden.
Now I come to think of it, I have seen at least 3 ages of girl and 2 ages of boy playing in the garden, and going in and out of the flat - at least one girl is preschool, one around 4/5 and one around 9. These 3 have been out playing over this last week - I don't really recognise them, and they don't seem to recognise me either. I don't know if they are the same children I saw playing out in the summer.
Boys playing football, one mid secondary age, and one about 9/10/11 I would say -
As to how many different adults I have thought were staying there, I don't know, 2 at least. Maybe more
It is a two bedroom flat and the landlord told me a single mother was moving in, she has been there about 18 months.
I feel like I am being really thick - either I should know them all, or I should know that I don't know them.
Does any of this sound worrying to you? Or do I just sound like an idiot?