I’ve had a small rock on top of my bedroom bureau for years.  When I move, I pack the rock and again place it on top.  It’s to remind me of…  I’ve forgotten the “where or when” of the rock but to toss it out would be to forget what I can’t remember.

It looks like it was pulled from the east or west U.S. ocean.  Was it kept to remind me of something wonderful or to not do something again?  (Why would someone save something to be reminded not to repeat?)  The rock quietly rests there, collecting dust.  I rarely look at it but when I do I think to myself, “Oh, that must be important.”  When I move again, I’m sure I’ll take the small rock with me.  Easy to pack but not easy to remember.

Recalling an actor’s name may take days for my recall – I use the alphabet method.  I may be trying to remember something else and the puzzling actor’s name silently slips back into my memory.  “Oh, of course,” I say to myself.

Is it age?  Too easy.  Is it a growing disease?  Insurance help, I hope.  Is it too many names and information accumulated but never assimilated?  I choose the latter.  It’s safer and without medications or new housing.

It’s happening to me more and more.  It’ll be a song on the radio and I know I know the lead singer’s name but don’t know the lead singer’s name while driving  and wondering if the person behind me wants me to run that yellow or red light in front of me.

Luckily, the person behind me follows my lead and stops at the red light when I remember that it’s David Gates, the lead singer from “Bread” and their biggest hit, “I Want To Make It with You.”  I sigh with relief that I was not only saved from being killed but my memory kicked in when it needed to and one more memory query was resolved.

But I still wonder why that small rock is on my bureau.  Must be something important or why else would I have kept it?