I firmly believe that I have a double, as in someone who so closely resembles me in physical characteristics that they have on a few occasions obviously been mistaken for me or at least caused others to remark that they have met me before when no such meeting has taken place.
I do not think that it is anything intentional or sinister.
There are of course the Conspiracy Theorists who would claim this to be part of a global cloning exercise by foreign governments, megalithic Corporations, aliens or on a smaller scale a natural development in what we are led to believe is the widespread criminal activity of identity theft.
Yes, I have seen such story lines in movies such as Face Off and read about them as the main plot lines in all sorts of novels from the classics such as Jean de Floret to Science Fiction portrayals of cyborgs and humanoids.
The last couple of incidences of the strange familiarity towards me from complete strangers have taken place within a week of each other.
The first was as I was walking past a KFC Restaurant just close to my house.
A small, middle aged guy muttered as I strode past "Do you remember me?"
I am very much a people person and my daily work brings me into direct contact with I would say an above average number of the public at large. Statistically therefore I get about a bit and chances are either myself or the other party, in a crowd or other situation might have a degree of deja-vu type recognition.
In this instance I had no recollection whatsoever of the man or where we might have met before.
If way back from my school days it might have been possible to add on a few decades of life's wear and stress to the current facial features.
Mannerisms can give a clue, similarly any unfortunate afflictions such as a twitch, squint or stammer.
I was still no closer to an identification. I asked where we might have met before. He replied "in the pub". I knew then that it was a case of mistaken identity on his part as I just do not frequent such places and never really have unless a special event or just meeting up with friends or associates.
He still seemed to be under the impression that he knew me but I threw in enough elements of doubt to halt the street side interrogation and politely but decisively walked on.
The other situation was just yesterday.
I was some 50 miles up country in a large seaside town, already crowded in its main shopping area with residents and visitors taking in the warm Spring sunshine even at 11am in the morning.
In the middle part of the pedestrianised area was a group of suit clad men and women whose smart attire differentiated them from the otherwise casually or seasonally inappropriately dressed populus. Such an incongruous gathering, to my mind, throws up the possibility of Jehovah's Witnesses, Political canvassers or those canvassing or hawking products such as double glazing and life insurance. I got ready to deflect any approach with a flippant or casual remark but didn't get an opportunity as one of the suited and booted broke off and headed for me only to hold back with the comment "oh, sorry I've already spoken to you".
That was strange but actually quite a welcome outcome.
Both of the above cases of mis-identification were, I accept, harmless and not too intrusive.
I was reminded of a newspaper story with potentially more significant implications for privacy and personal liberty involving identity.
It involved a male Hipster character; you will easily recognise the type whose natural territory is the modern built up environs of a city or large town, the trendy parts only of course immersed in cafe and bistro culture. They have beards, wear beany hats, drainpipe trousers at half mast and walk about pushing a very expensive pedal cycle with no gears.
He expressed fury and indignation at the use of his photographic image, without his knowledge or consent in an article in the media which argued that all hipster types look the same.
In his indignant letter to the publication in which the photo had featured he stated;
"Your lack of basic journalistic ethics in both the manner of which you reported this uncredited nonsense and the slanderous unnecessary use of my picture without permission demands a response and I am of course pursuing legal action".
He didn't get very far.
On closer scrutiny of the photograph it turned out that it wasn't him at all.
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