I've come to realize that a good friend of mine is starting to act a little strangely and I'm wondering if something is wrong.
Everyone forgets peoples' names from time to time, but this person seems to be regularly confused about names -- even those of close friends. OK, it's not like she never gets them right, but frequently she will start talking about someone and say: "That's just like Sally*. Or maybe I mean Sarah? Who's the big one with the dark hair?" And it's not like these people are acquaintances she met yesterday. She was one of only a handful of people attending Sally's rather intimate wedding. She helped Sally pack and move and we all regularly had lunch together for a couple of years."
Just yesterday when we were having coffee, she said: Well, maybe you could get Janet Jackson to help you with that." I looked at her a little strangely and said: "Who are you talking about? Janet Jaman?" She: "Yeah, I think. Is she the one that helps out with hospitality at church?
And, just recently, she got my name wrong when she introduced me to someone. It wasn't really wrong -- just annoyingly off -- like: "Here's my friend Suzanne!" instead of my friend Susan. At the time I felt a little put out. I mean we've been close friends for over 5 years, at least you can get my name right. But maybe there is something not right with her.
Also, yesterday, a while after she made the strange Janet Jackson comment, when we were walking out of the restaurant, a waitress came running after us with her purse which she had forgetting on her chair. She seemed a little embarrassed and made excuses: "Oh, I usually wear a different bag -- one that goes over my shoulder. That's why I forgot."
Should I be concerned? What would you do?
BTW, she is a retired university professor (so intelligent enough). She is 70, single and has no children. Both her parents wound up being institutionalized with Alzheimer's. I am one of the people who is closest to her.
*All names are fictional.