If you're looking for a classic BTB story...leave now. 'Nuff said.
Tony Arata: "Looking back, on the memory of, the dance we shared, 'neath the stars above. For a moment, all the world was right, but how could I have known, that you'd ever say goodbye?"
= = = =
My wife Nancy had just picked me up from work as my car was in the shop and not expected to be ready until tomorrow. It was supposed to be ready today. Let's just say that I had my patience tested today. I'm negative.
We have a two-year-old daughter Sarah and her older by almost two years brother Daniel. Both are in daycare and we'll swing by to pick them up on our way home.
I work in the accounting department for an online retailor. We buy overproduced (think wasn't selling) furniture and home furnishings. When this stuff was in stores people would look at it and say to themselves 'No way am I putting that crap in my house!'
So, we run late night television commercials with a well-endowed barefoot cutie bouncing around wearing loose fitting shorts, skin tight shirt, and no bra. The air conditioning is turned way up. Just like that the shit sells.
Nancy works part time out of our rented house. We have little chance of saving up for a down payment until she goes back to work full time, and even then, only if there's no daycare to pay for.
Ours is a fairly boring story. Met near the end of our college days, dated, became exclusive, and shortly after graduation married. You still there? Like I said, boring.
Probably like most marriages ours has not always been rainbows and unicorns. After Daniel was born Nancy was on an emotional rollercoaster until she found out she was pregnant with Sarah. It was a pretty stressful fifteen months.
I travel a couple of times each quarter usually for three days and two nights. Negotiating contracts to acquire more crap is what I do. Doing the heavy lifting is my job but the salesman who recruited the business gets the bonus check. Sucks to be low on the totem pole.
Ours is an older subdivision with lots of small three-bedroom two bath brick ranch style houses built fifty years ago. We're on a cul-de-sac and the families in ours and the cul-de-sac across the street get together a handful of times each year. Most of the parties are in the spring and summer when it's pleasant enough outside to enjoy it. We're mostly younger so the music is loud and the booze disappears quickly. We get a babysitter so we can enjoy ourselves.
+ + + +
Whoever thought that a cell phone holder at eye level was a good idea can go to hell. Yes, it's hands free but it is dangerously distracting and it blocks your vision too!
"Pay attention to the road and not your cell phone!" I admonished Nancy as we left the parking lot.
"Women can multi-task better than men."
"There is no such thing as multi-tasking. If you are trying to do two things at once you're doing a shitty job on both. Giving less than one hundred percent on any task means you aren't completely focused on that task and may miss something that affects your decision-making process or the outcome. Whatever is happening on your phone can wait."
Nothing. No attempt to respond. My cell phone buzzed with an incoming call. As I started my conversation, I saw Nancy looking at her phone, again.
I can't remember who I was talking with. I don't remember a car accident. I've lost two days of my life and am sporting big honking casts on my right arm and leg. I'm wearing a sling after some kind of surgery to my right shoulder. My eyes flutter all the time and I'm having the most bizarre dreams recalling events that happened years ago. I can only stay awake for about two hours before my mind goes blank and I doze off.
What I do know is that Nancy has apologized about a million times. She's been cited for running a stop sign two blocks from daycare. It wasn't a four-way stop and the car with the right-of-way struck us mostly in the tail half of our car, on the passenger side. I say mostly because I managed to get mutilated in the process. Remarkably Nancy only has frayed nerves and tremendous remorse. Her phone was strapped in so no damage there, whew!
+ + + +
"How do you feel this morning, Ryan?" from the attending nurse.
"Well Janice, it's like how I felt when my bike hit that curb unexpectedly and I went flying."
"Wow, you remembered my name. I think the doctor is going to remove the bandages from your face today. Just be forewarned that you are completely black and blue. You've still got dental reconstruction to go through as well. So, when did you hit that curb?"
My eyelids seemed to blink rapidly "August 11, 2005. It was a Thursday."
"You remember the date? That must have been a very traumatic experience. You were what, about eleven at the time?"
"Eleven? Wow! Actually, I hadn't thought about it since forever until you asked. My memory usually isn't that good."
"Interesting. Here's Dr. Williams now."
"Good morning Mr. Jensen. How's our patient doing nurse?"
"I'd say very well. His memory seems excellent."
"How so?"
I chimed in "I remembered a bike accident I had seventeen years ago. Weird huh?"
Williams seemed unfazed "Trauma can sometimes cause that. You took quite a blow to your head and face in this crash. How good is your memory normally?"
"Iffy at best I guess."
"So, you can't remember what you wore last Sunday?"
"Jeans, yellow polo shirt, black socks, sneakers, and a ballcap" was my quick response.
"Janice, that was your day off. What did you wear?"
After staring at the wall "I haven't a clue."
Williams continued "Alright then Ryan. Seems like your memory IS really good right now. Can you remember TWO Sundays ago?"
"Went golfing. Tan shorts, cream colored collared golf shirt, white socks. Highlight of the round was a birdie on the first hole. I chased that second birdie around for seventeen more holes but never caught up to it."
Janice chuckled "That's funny. I golf too."
"We're going to keep you at least an extra day to run some more tests. This is highly unusual and if it's what I think it is, astronomically rare" from Williams.
My eyelids fluttered "You mean like that total solar eclipse that started on November 14th, 2012 and ended on the 13th?"
"Don't you mean 13th to 14th?" from Janice.
"Actually no. It started on the 14th in Australia and crossed over the International date line ending a day earlier near South America."
"How do you know this?" again from Janice.
"I really don't know. My mind goes blank and then I know what to say. I guess it's been buried in my brain and I never realized it."
Dr. Williams left but returned a little bit later with a few of his associates and several new pieces of gear. They attached probes all over my head and then hummed and whispered as they took in the sights.
Williams spoke "Ryan, after consulting with the other doctors we think that you have Hyperthymesia. That's the ability which allows people to remember nearly every event of their life with great precision. Hyperthymesia is extremely rare, with research identifying less than one hundred people with the ability. That's worldwide ever identified dead or alive. Studies on Hyperthymesia are ongoing, as scientists attempt to understand how the brain processes memories. We'd like to caution you that you'll probably need to be sedated occasionally if your brain can't find a calm place. This has been thrust on you while others grew up with the ability. Learning how to live with it is currently your biggest concern."
"Is this why I get tired so easily?"
"We think so. Your brain is working tirelessly until it saps all of your strength. Try diverting your thoughts to birds or music or animals. Anything to put your brain to sleep so to speak."
My head felt heavy and then I blurted "May 4th 2003. Our family canary escaped. Never saw it again."
I must have dozed off without hearing their response. I was alone when I awoke. My facial bandages had been removed.
+ + + +
It was dark outside when my door pushed slightly open, just enough for Nancy to peek and then come in.
"Hey Nancy, whacha think?" as she saw my plum-colored face and Frankenstein stitches for the first time.
"If I didn't recognize your voice I wouldn't have known it was you. How you feeling? Does your face hurt?"
"No pain, but that's probably due to the drugs. Otherwise really good although I get tired quickly. I'm having some really bizarre dreams. Remembering people and places that I'd long since forgot. Did you know we first met on Tuesday September 16th, 2014. It was at a campus party. I was smitten but you didn't notice at the time."
"Wow, and you still remember. So, if I didn't notice you then, when did I show an interest in you?"
After a short pause "Wednesday October 15th. It was a political science lecture. Truth be told, I was stalking you as I wasn't a student in that class. I offered to buy you an ice cream cone and you agreed. The rest, as they say, is history."
"Do you have a facial tic? Your face seems to be twitching."
"I guess. It happens almost all of the time. Before I forget. Get rid of that phone holder. What if Sarah and Daniel had been in the car?"
That brought tears.
We chatted for a bit but then I must have fallen asleep. Nancy was gone when the nurse woke me for my next round of shots. They all wear baby blue medical scrubs. In the emergency room I was in with my bicycle crash they wore light green scrubs.
The next morning Nancy was allowed in after the medical community did their thing.
"That's a nice dress. Must be new."
"Yeah, we had some clubhouse script from when we cashed in the couples golf. Use it or lose it so I bought this last weekend."
