I get a chuckle out of some of the things I read on Facebook regarding “senior moments”.
My most recent episode occurred when I went into work on a weekend. For some unknown reason, I took both my wallet and building keys out of my pockets.
The keys? I often do that. But the wallet? Never.
Until that fateful weekend.
I was checking e-mail and noted a fellow employee had a phone number change.
I thought, “I need to add that to my phone.” Before I did, another e-mail regarding a recording session reminded me I needed to get something from my truck.
I unlocked my truck from inside the office and laid those keys back down on my desk.
Upon grabbing the item I needed from my truck and walking toward the building, I had a Homer Simpson “D’oh!” moment.
No keys and my wallet with my pass card were both inside and on my desk.
“No problem!”, I thought. “I’ll just call that work buddy who lives down the street”.
Second Homer Simpson moment.
That e-mail with his new phone number is in my office and I’m locked out of the building.
I called another staffer who lives nearby, but he wasn’t home, so I ended up calling my boss.
He claimed to be on his way in to check some things, so he’d be there in a few minutes.
To prevent Homer Simpson episodes in the morning on my way into work, I pat my left rear pants pocket (wallet), left front pants pocket (cell phone), right front pants pocket (keys) and a quick pants zipper check before leaving the house.
I sometimes do that “aimless stroll” when I walk into a room and then ask, “Why did I come here?”
Normally within seconds, my brain will plow throw the snow drifts of info between my ears and say, “A glass of ice water, dummy.”
I do find most of my memory issues pop up when I’m pooped. I did an interview recently with a local attorney on the topic of fatigue.
Did you ever doze off briefly and when you awoke with a start, there was a brief moment when you were clueless as to the day, the time or even where you were?
It’s a fatigue issue called “micro-sleeps” and is a symptom of other lack-of-rest issues.
But the Sunday morning I left my keys and wallet in the office was after a full night’s sleep.
Perhaps I need to do my pockets and fly check more often.
John Foster anchors “All-News-in-the-Morning” weekdays on 1010 WCSI-AM and 98.1 FM. You can read his weekly blog at johnnyonthespot1950.com and monthly in The Republic. Send comments to [email protected].
