Sorry, I must have thought you were someone else!

I was running up to the Provo temple this morning (trying to burn off some of those extra calories I ate at Thanksgiving dinner yesterday) when I saw a young man who looked a lot like my friend, Josh. Even though Josh and I aren't that close, we both served in the same mission which pretty much means we're family and therefore should at least say hello when we pass each other. But from a distance I really wasn't sure it was him, so I jogged on.

As I got closer I noticed a flash of recognition in my peripheral vision and focused my attention back to the young man who started to walk toward me. It must be Josh after all! I slowed to a walk, took out my earphones, and walked toward him.

"Thank you for..." he said to me.

"Huh?" I couldn't think of anything I'd done for Josh recently.

"Oh, you're [girl name I can't remember]?" he seemed confused as well.

Obviously, I wasn't! As he approached me I read the official name tag he was wearing and it did not say Josh. 

"Sorry!" I said and smiled. "I think I thought you were someone else, too." I had barely spoken the words when he said simply, "Oh," turned abruptly, and walked away. It was like the walking equivalent of being cut off. I don't know what I had expected--maybe shared laughter in our moment of mutual misunderstanding? Instead, I laughed alone, shook my head, and kept running.