Until last night I didn't think much about this, but know I am more than stunned. If anyone here has had similar experiences, please respond.

Went to a housewarming party last night for my cousin.

Anyhow, while at the party, I recognized a number of people, YET, when I approached them to say hello, found that we had never met before.

During the course of four hours, this happenned at least a dozen times, although I stopped asking after six or so.

After I got home, I started to recall that over the past few months I have seen the faces of strangers in stores, while away on vacation, and on streets here in NYC that also have seemed familiar. A few times I have actually gone over to a few whose eye contact led me to believe that we HAD met in the past. With this in mind, I couldn't help but think that not persuing a 're-introduction' might be considered a shun...only to then find out that we had no common links that would have made our knowing each other possible.

Are any of you experiencing the same thing?

What explanation can there be to this phenomenon?

It seems bizarre, yet, somewhat 'natural'...if one takes into account some of the stuff we've been reading on threads here.

Of all of the people I have mistakenly said 'hello' to, only one person has ever seemed upset in any way; for some reason she seemed somewhat shocked, then quickly insisted that we had never met even before we could figure any commonalities (my cousin's coworker, last night.) THAT was really strange, as if I have frightened her. BTW, I am a pleasant, soft-spoken female, trim, neat and clean; there should have been no reason for her to seem upset. I am a person who makes eye contact with and smiles at anyone passing me on the street...just about always getting back a similar response.

Any ideas?