I Lost My Memory Because Of You.
There it is. That same old house.
I came up quiet as a mouse.
With hesitation, I knocked on the door.
Soon, a woman came to the door.
She smiled and said ”Hi.” and no more.
“Excuse me but, have I been here before?”
She looked at me with surprise & said “No.”
”Oh, one more thing before you go.”
“Do you happen to know my name?”
“You don’t even know your own name?”
“No, you see. I have lost my memory.”
“What happened? Can you tell me?”
“I woke up in the hospital 3 days ago.”
“They said I was found lying next to the road.”
“They assumed I had been hit by a car.”
“Minor cuts & bruises was all so far.’
“Also a concussion from when I fell.”
“I had no memory of it as well.”
“Where did this all happen?”
“They found me on Valencia near Main.”
Suddenly, very pale, she became.
“You said this was 3 days ago?”
“That’s what they told me before they let me go.”
“I was driving there that night.”
“Something banged my door on the right.”
“I thought the tire flipped something up.”
“Or, maybe, I had hit a big rut.”
“I saw nothing in my rear view mirror.”
“I think it was you that I hit, I fear.”
“How did you know to come here to find me?”
“I had money to stay several days in a hotel, see.”
“I had no I.D. on me when I was found.”
“There was this money lying around.”
“They said maybe I was out for a walk.”
“I might live near there, within a few blocks.”
“ I started walking all around from there.”
“Each time I was drawn to this house , I swear.”
“Now you know as much as me.”
“Come in & stay awhile with me”
“At least until your memory comes back.”
“It’s the least I can do after the fact.”
I stayed there and time went by.
She was single and pretty shy.
Gradually, my memory did return.
I lived close by, I did learn.
I had come by the money honestly.
I was not married I was glad to see.
I have to cut this story short.
But, this is my favorite retort.
“Here is my wife who I remember now.”
“She wasn’t at the start but, she is now.”
—————————————————R. W. Johnson—–(2014)