Sunday, June 03, 2012

Mind Tricks

I bought Cuppa a carton of wine yesterday. Yes, a carton as opposed to a bottle. I'm cheap, so sue me. I was on my way to the kids house at the time, so I put it in their fridge. And left it there. Apparently.

The thing is that I have, or I should say had, a pretty doggone clear memory of taking it out of their fridge to bring home to my beloved. I even thought that I had put it in the car. But when we couldn't find it today, sure enough, we eventually tracked it down to where I had left it -- back in the fridge.

I have recently had other pretty vivid memories that have turned out to be bogus. Like the time just a few months past when I vowed not to get caught on bank charges one more time by forgetting to transfer money to my chequing account before writing cheques. I vowed so hard that I was absolutely sure that I had done just that ... until the day that the bank docked me another whopping amount for NSF

Last autumn I wrote an email to a friend. I have a pretty clear memory of doing so. Except he never got it. I couldn't find it on my computer either. At the time I blamed cyberspace for swallowing it up. Now that I have been given proof of my rather pathetic proclivity to remember things that have never occurred, I am pretty sure that I never did write that email. I likely thought about it, even to the point where I probably composed it in my head, but I now sincerely doubt that I every really sat down and typed it out,

In the past I have done the same with another friend -- twice -- and this led, at least in part, to a fractured relationship. Now I realize that I probably didn't write those either. I hang my head.

There must be a lesson about memory here, aside from my dunderheadedness that is. I wonder how often  people hold grudges based on a memory of an incident which didn't really happen in the way that their minds tell them. We little people tend to be pretty blinkin positive that somebody said or did something bad to us and therefore wronged us, but in point of fact it may be our memories that are just plain inaccurate.

I also wonder how many innocent people have been convicted to prison terms or even worse based on the memories of well-meaning witnesses that were false or at least inaccurate? Of course, no one knows the answer to that, but the notion does give one pause for thought.

Of course, maybe I am the only person to whom such a false memory has ever occurred. There is that possibility. But I really don't think I am that unusual and weird. My family might, but I don't.

12 comments:

Hilary said...

Hmmm.. I was so certain I'd already left a comment here. ;)

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

AC, lately my biggest problem is remembering where I put something and DARN if it's not ALWAYS the past place I've looked! Darn on those NSF fees..maybe a task reminder on the PC if you remember to include it that is. And, yesterday's post about how your son-in-law, Eric, volunteered to help a friend spoke volumes about his character. Lucky for all of you that he's a member of your family.

Donna said...

No, you're not alone...One time, I'd gotten off work, gone to the grocery, got home and had carrien in half of the groceries when the phone rang...well, when Larry got home he asked why the Jeep doors were still open? Oh Lordy...There went my ice cream and milk...So See? Good intentions and One distraction...
hughugs

Lorna said...

A sign of our times...memory is a far too-valued thing in my opinion. Besides it gives something to bind our kids together---their mutual frustration-mixed-with-oh!-those-guys. (insert wink or surly grin here)

KGMom said...

I know that you weren't inviting one-upsmanship...but I can top your wine in the fridge mistake.
The other day, I used some margarine in cooking.
Next day, I opened the silverware drawer, and there was the margarine.
I confess--it greatly discombobulated me--as memory loss is one of those great fears in growing older.

JunieRose2005 said...

LOL- NO! You're not the only one who does these things, AC!

BUT...
I honestly think being on the computer helps us a lot, though! I'm constantly checking spelling of words I've always known how to spell ( but-suddenly- am unsure of)...still I sometimes mess up! :(

My excuse though is - I am OLD... Older than almost anyone I know!! :)

Junie Rose

Bernie said...

I can't believe you still write cheques.....oh well I do believe you forget once in a while, we all do my friend.
Hope all went well for your SIL.
......:-)Big Hugs

Diana said...

I don't think it's weird at all A.C. I've been reminding my husband to remind me, to pay the power bill for five days!! I finally remembered myself and sent Kate to do it before I forgot again. When I told Jake what I did he said "Oh yea, I was supposed to remind you to pay that!".
I would like to blame some of it on ageing and I do but my teens memory is horrible too, or perhaps very selective!!
I usually write my daily list of things to do in one of my notebooks. If only I could remember which one!! Love Di ♥

Jimmie Earl said...

I got all the fixings for a Margarita out the other evening, even the ice crusher, and when I reached for the new bottle of tequila where I always keep the booze, it was gone. I KNOW I bought a new bottle just the other week, and it only had two shots out of it. I have no idea where it went. I asked the daughter and grandson if they knew where it was. NO!
Daughter seems to think MAYBE one of grandson's buddies might have lifted it from the cabinet on his way out the door.
Otherwise, since I have searched the cabinets, crooks and crannies, and even my craft cupboards, I must have drank it all in my sleep and not realized it!
(I had beer lifted by grandson's buddy last summer.) What's with this! Maybe I am losing it! LOL!

Pearl said...

Sounds familiar. I remember one day I visualized teaching a lesson so clearly that I thought I had and proceeded to the next. I insisted on inspecting the homework. Person after person didn't have the sheets. It was a few students in when I realized their protests were true.

Regenia said...

I do wish I could say that I have no idea what you are talking about!!

Ruth said...

Today I asked someone at work for $20 they owed me for something I picked up for them. They insisted they had paid me. I was fuming inside but decided the relationship was worth more than $20. A few hours later they came and apologized and gave me the money after finding it in their desk. Yes, it could have been me just as easily...