Tuesday, October 20, 2009

A Dim View Of Memory Lane

As I sit here typing this (my secretary has the day off), it's cold and raining. Outside I mean.

Inside, I've had to turn on the central heating to add to the living room fire as the temp of 61F was just a tad nippy for comfort purposes. With both of these going, I'll probably be asleep in half an hour.

I'm at that age, you know. And speaking of age..........

A few hours ago, as I didn't fancy Yachting, Showjumping or something called WWE Smackdown on afternoon telle, I glanced through a few old diaries from 1969-1975 but I may as well have been reading ones written by someone else. The words I read brought back few memories about anything or anybody I'd written about.

Admittedly few events were worthy of having a memory about and most entries consisted of when I got up, what happened at school/work and when I went to bed. Samuel Pepys has nothing to fear from my diaries.

But my main worry about my rapidly diminishing memory is that few of the names I mention in those diaries ring even the slightest bell with me. Not a bellette. Not even a ding-a-ling. These were people I spent many years with - even though I'm not in touch with any of them today. Maybe that's the point. They were merely stepping stones on the cobbled road of my life.

Hmmmm think I'll send that one to Readers Digest.

I have retained no friends from my school days and none from my work days either. Is that normal ? I donno. I sometimes think I'd like to have a chat with many of them but even with my searching powers on t'internet, I've not had any joy. It's hard to search for people when all you have to go on is a school nickname !!

And what would we have in common even if I did find them ? A chat could be a bit difficult. Like chatting with a stranger really. I couldn't even do much reminiscing with the school ones as I remember so little about those days !! What am I like, honestly ?

The thing is, ask me a question about pop music in the 60's and I'll know the answer. Groups, songs, even lyrics (such as they were back then) and I'm your man.

So I'm using that as my yardstick.

When I can't remember the words to Daydream Believer or know who sang "Concrete & Clay" then I'll start to really worry. Until then, I'm sorry Gearbox, Bucket, Sainty, Crud and PJ, but you'll just have to remain school "friends" who I'll never remember.

Oh shoot, sorry. PJ is my brother. I think I do need to worry !

4 comments:

Daphne said...

I think that in most cases, when you don't keep in touch with someone, it's because you've moved on in one way or another and no longer have much in common - especially if you only really became friends because you were thrown together at work or school.
However, my friends whom I've made through choice are not stepping stones on the cobbled road - - they're the oasis in the desert and I'll stay there. (Can I send that to Reader's Digest too?)

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Normal? There's no such thing. I guess you will have dabbled in Friends Reunited to shake up ghosts from the past but if you haven't then really I don't recommend it. The best attitude to life is rooted in the here and now and in what lies round the next corner(< Another Reader's Digest quote?) Some things and some people are most definitely left buried in a dimly remembered past.

Milo said...

I'm not in touch with any one from school any more. Still in touch with a handful of university friends though.

As I've got older I've got much less good at staying in touch, to the point where at times I dread to think how I come across to old friends.

I also think life is a series of chapters. Sure, some pages you turn back to, but you're best of focusing on the present day. Lots of people stay in touch with a diverse range of old school, uni and work contacts but I increasingly can't be bothered these days.

Debby said...

I was going to say something...but I forgot what it was. Do I know you?

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