The Name Game

A couple weeks ago, I was making my merry way across the Key Bridge towards Georgetown. I usually despise traffic but sometimes it facilitates exciting conversations with strangers. Like the guy driving behind me who started wildly honking his horn and shouting out his window when he saw my license place and alma mater sticker.

Stranger: "UTAH! WHOA!  Utah, hey, Utah!!
Me: "Wha...the...?"
Stranger: "OH MAH GAH you went to BYU! Woooo! Go cougars! AHHHH! JIMMER! Do you know Jimmer????"
Me: Not personally, no.
Stranger: My sister went to BYU! Do you know [insert name that at least 200 other people have here]?

There is something you should know about Mormons. We have a weird fascination with playing the Name Game. You know, the game where you list off every possible Mormon you know and hope that the other person knows one of them, even vaguely. Mormons have this lofty assumption that they share all their connections with other Mormons. So we play the Name Game to confirm those connections.

This is the first time someone has played the Name Game with me in the middle of DC traffic. Impressive.