Drawing upon her rich experience of life, Prudence (Prudie to her friends) responds to questions about manners, personal relations, politics, and other subjects. Please send your questions for publication to prudence@slate.com. Queries should not exceed 200 words in length. Please indicate how you wish your letter to be signed, preferably including your location.

Dear Prudie,

I am employed in a leadership position where I meet a lot of different people a few times a year. I have real problems remembering names. Have you heard this one before? I've tried several ways to compensate. The one that works best for me is to review the list of names I should know and visualize their faces. But I still fail.

So my question to you is: What is the best way to handle the introduction of somebody whose name you should know but don't when they join a small conversational group you're with?

--Sign me,Bill From La Jolla

Dear Bill,

Far worse than picking up the wrong fork is stumbling around with an introduction. But take heart, you have a lot of company falling into this particular social pothole.

Prudie does not recommend an association technique. For example, years ago a certain woman's name would not stay in Prudie's memory. The woman wore crazy hats--often sporting fruit--so "Carmen Miranda" seemed a useful aid ... until Prudie addressed the woman as "Mrs. Miranda."

You are luckier than most in that your elevated position gives you something of a pass. Many individuals will assume that you meet so many people that name recollection would be tough, at best. Actor Robert Wagner (R.J. to people who could remember his name) got around this by calling everyone "Pallie." This stunt only works, however, in direct address, and is no help with introductions.

Prudie is willing to blow her cover and offer you her trick: When stuck, just say, "Tell me your whole name," implying (alas, fraudulently) that she remembers one name, but not both.