what is the word

In Manhattan today the snow is not so much coming down as it is hurling itself sideways.
It would be lovely to be curled up, scotch in hand, in front of the roaringly warm fire at Red & Black, which is what I was doing last nite. Sara had graciously offered to take me out for drinks, because I'm embarassingly broke this week. We were sitting there fireside, sipping our drinks & talking about the usual, when in walked The End of the World, that band I am somehow destined to run into constantly. The weird thing was, at first I didn't recognize them. I have trouble remembering faces sometimes, but I never have trouble remembering cute boys (except for a very disturbing occasion last summer when I was walking along Wythe Ave in the 'burg with Belkys, & we passed a group of guys playing hockey in the sun. As we walked by one of them skated suddenly over to the edge of the court & said "Hey!" to me & he said my name. He was very handsome, and he was smiling at me so widely -- he seemed absolutely confident that I knew who he was. Except I didn't, so I said hi but I didn't stop walking. Afterwards Belkys & I analyzed the whole thing for ages, wondering if perhaps he was my soulmate & I'd blown the whole thing by walking away).
Anyway it all worked out because I did remember The End of the World, eventually, & we went over & had a few drinks with them, & I don't think they noticed my momentary lapse of memory.
I wonder if there are some sort of brain exercises I can do to prevent this from happening in the future. At least I am not as bad as some people.