Bad Memory Blues

Hopelessly I look at the six story parking garage at Bellevue Square shopping mall.

“I have no idea what floor I parked on. I don’t even know if I parked in the six level garage or in the 4 level garage.” Feeling totally lost and confused, I look at the kind looking security officer.

He laughs. “Don’t worry. You’re the second person this week that needed help finding their car.

I sigh. “I guess that makes me feel better.”

The middle aged guard smiles. “Helping you is no problem. If it weren't for folks like you, I might not have a job."

I grin as I climb into the guard’s cart. This guy has no idea how many situations like this a bad memory’s gotten me into. If there were more people like me, he'd have guaranteed overtime every week. I feel like I’m practicing for when I get old enough to have Alzheimer’s.

Although a bad memory can be a sign that a person has brain damage, it can also be a sign of a lot of other things: fatigue, boredom, pot smoking, pain pills, any number of distractions, excessive drinking.

If you have developed any successful strategies for dealing with a bad memory, I, and probably most memory impaired readers, would like to hear what you’ve come up with. I’ve come up with a few myself that I’d be happy to discuss with anyone who asks.