Details, Details, Everywhere – LZL 509, 536-2961, and K1860

This past weekend we went to see my friend Audrey, her husband Todd, and their son Blake. We had dinner, hung out, and played some guitar hero until about 10:15 Saturday nite. It was so much fun and I tried to not laugh when Jim sang Rebel Yell!

While we were having dinner, I was talking about going out with Audrey one night with one of her friends from high school and a friend of his. Audrey remembered the night out when I told her about it, but she was surprised that I was able to recount the events in such detail (right down to what I wore that night). She then remarked that there were two people that she knew that if they told her the details of an event she would believe them even if she couldn’t remember it because their memory was so good. One of those people she knows is me.

I remember some details that I guess most people just don’t. Like my very first memory was from when I was about 2 ½. I don’t remember that I went to Six Flags in Atlanta that day, but I remember falling down at the motel and hurting my knee. My mother confirmed the event that I remembered and how old I was. I don’t remember my mom being pregnant with Meg, but I remember everything about when she went to the hospital and when I went to see them at the hospital and then when they brought Meg home. I had turned 3 in late January, and Meg was born in early June. So I wasn’t even 3 1/2 but I remember all of these events very clearly. I would say that was the first ‘big’ event in my life and I remember it and pretty much everything after that. I even remember the day that Nixon resigned. I was 5 ½, but the newspaper headline was very large and covered ½ the page – it said NIXON RESIGNS. I didn’t understand what that meant, but I remember the headline!

I remember stupid things too, like my phone number when we lived in Orangeburg was 536-2961 and my address was 377 Adden Street - we left there in 1975 when I was 6 ½. Or my license plate number from my first Toyota LZL 509. I remember the key number too K1860. I remember my phone number when I lived in Charlotte for 17 months – 704-542-2998. I also remember many events over the years and can recount things that were said verbatim from 15 + years ago. I remember dates, places, even the details of what I was wearing at the time. I never considered this kind of memory unusual, but I guess it is based on what my friends tell me. I get it honestly though – my grandmother had the same kind of memory so I guess it is just the way my mind works. Just one more thing to confirm that I am different for sure!