Creative Writing - 100 Words Each - 6 Different "I Dont Remembers"

 Written 13 Mar 21 - Transcribed 15 Mar 21

100 Words Each - 6 Different “I Dont Remember”  

As I was writing by hand in my notebook, I was guessing at word count.  I figured somewhere around a page.  As I’m transcribing, I'll check the word count on each one for future reference.

*****************************************************

# 1 - Birth  -- Words 160

I don't remember the day I was born.

I don't know where I was exactly. In a Hospital in Glendale, California, I've been told. I know my mom was there. Duh!

I'm not sure about my dad. He was in between Wars when I was born in 1947. Dad was a Marine Corps fighter pilot. He flew Corsairs in World War II. I don't remember what he flew in the Korean War.

I've heard the stories about how he was shot down twice, wounded, and survived. About his heroism. And all the medals I saw in pictures of him in uniform. He was bigger than life.

I don't remember if my sister, Charlotte, was there when I was born. She would have been three. She and I ended up having a great sibling relationship. I remember that.

Sis died in her 50’s. Cancer. I gave her eulogy. I remember that. 

And, how much I miss her.

**********************************

# 2 - Kindergarten  172 Words

I don't remember my kindergarten teacher's name. She was a woman. I remember that. I remember that I thought she was pretty. I probably had a little boy, a kindergarten crush on her.

I don't remember much about kindergarten. Like what we did there. What a normal day was like.

Except, I do remember we had a rest time. I think we all got to bring a blanket from home to lay on or cover up with at rest time. How long was rest time? I don't remember. I don't remember anyone from kindergarten. Not a single person. Not a single name.

Is that odd? Do most people 74 years old not remember even one kindergarten friend or classmate? I don't know.

And, looking back, I'm not sure if I would have remembered any of their names even by second or third grade. I had to change schools in second grade. So I'd lost whatever contacts and friends I had before that.

Did I miss them in any way? I don't remember.

***************************************

# 3.  Birthdays    269 Words - whoa.  This one’s way too long.

I don't remember any of my childhood birthday parties. In fact, now that I'm thinking about it, I don't remember any of my birthday parties. At least not specifically. 

Except for the great surprise party at the old dirty bowling alley in Costa Mesa, California.  

I remember bowling 2 games in the 200’s and one around 175.  Way above what my average would have been if I’d been bowling back then.  I don’t remember exactly, but I think I hadn’t been bowling for at least a decade before that night.

It must have been a big one. 40 or 50 maybe? I don't remember except it was a lot of fun.

I like parties, birthday or otherwise, that involve physical activity. Or at least brainpower. Bowling. A ping pong tournament. Playing cards. Dancing. Anything other than banal small talk and boring chit-chat.

I also remember my last birthday. I had two parties.

On my actual birthday, a Friday, I had dinner with my friend Birgitte Bradshaw. It was a take-out dinner from the Canyon Grille at The Lawrence Welk Resort in Escondido California. Salmon and vegetables. And I had pasta, but she didn't. It's a gluten thing for her. We ate outside on the patio. Both jackets. Not too heavy. Table for two. No one else around.

The supposed pandemic and lockdowns shut us down from eating from real plates with real utensils inside. So we dined out of plastic take-out boxes with plastic forks.

Then Birgitte and I went into the 400-seat theater at the resort for a private performance by my favorite local swing dance / 50s rock and roll band, The Bobby Sanchez combo. Birgitte and I danced on stage and I got some good tips from her. She's the next thing to a professional dancer.  

This all happened last week. And, it was a ton of fun. 

So, I remember. 

*************************************

# 4.  Mom’s Death   -- Another that went way too long - 252 words

I don't remember when my mom died.

I mean the date. I don't remember the date. It's on my calendar. I could go look it up right now. Would doing that be useful?  I don't know. I don't think so.

It seems like lots of people remember the dates that loved ones died. Not me.

I can't tell you the date my mom died. My dad. My sister. My best friend for over 50 years. And he only died a few months ago.

I guess, consciously or subconsciously, or both, the date of death is irrelevant to me. Otherwise, I'd make a point of remembering.

Their lives, though, I remember. And, I think how they died. How their vibrant meaningful lives ended. I remember that.

Why they had to die when they did, I just don't know. I mean, I know the factual/medical reasons. But that's not the "why question” I mean.

My mom for example was the best. She was the perfect Mom for me. I could write a book on that. So why did she have to die when she did?

I do remember the day Mom gave up fighting her cancer. I was there. I saw it happen. I saw it in her eyes that morning. I was positive when she resisted her “breathing treatment.”  Her cancer had finally taken the fight out of her.

And, I was privileged to be holding her hand 13 hours later at the moment she died. I closed her eyes for her. Exactly when that was? 

I don't remember.  But I’ll never forget.

**********************************************

# 5.  1st Tennis Tournament I Won  Words 183

I don't remember the first tennis tournament I ever won.

I didn't start playing tennis until I was 50. Oh sure, I fiddled around some before that. But it wasn't a real thing for me ‘til I was 50.

I've now been playing for 24 years. And I've won some tournaments. Main draws and back draws. I count the back draws. I'm not even sure what "some” means.  Maybe as many as 10? I don't think more than that. I don't remember. There are only two or three of my wins that I specifically remember. 

And, by the way, I'm not counting the “tournaments” I won when I was living on Lido Isle in Newport Beach, California.  We had a Community Tennis Club there.  The “Tournaments” were serious for the higher level players.  But it was a small pond.  Limited to residents only.  All Doubles.  

I don’t remember how the partnership started.  I know I won the lottery when lucked into a regular doubles partnership for the Lido Isle Tournaments with Mitch Barker. Great guy.  Mitch played D1 college tennis at Texas A&M. 

He was so good, I don’t think we ever lost.  But, I don’t remember for sure.  

**********************************************

# 6.  Quit Football     233 Word Count

I don't remember exactly when I decided to quit playing football.

I'm not sure I like that word, "quit.”  It sounds negative. Like you're a loser. It’s as if you'd like to keep going with all your might but don't have the willpower, grit, guts, heart, or stamina. It's when you "give up" on something you really, really, really want.

For me, maybe it wasn't so much I quit. I decided to stop. There came a time, I don't remember exactly when, when playing football didn’t make any sense to me anymore.

I don't remember if I ever loved playing football. Or any other sport before tennis.

I happened to be a naturally good athlete. And my dad was, too, in his day. I was expected to play sports and be good at them. I was a dutiful son and did exactly that. Without complaint.

But did I ever love or was I ever really passionate about playing those sports? Or would I have played them at all without my dad's influence? I don't know. In retrospect, I think not. But, I don't remember.

I had an injury that made me miss half of spring football at UCLA my freshman year, 1966.  They wanted to redshirt me.  I didn’t want to spend an extra year in college just to play football.  So I decided to stop.

I remember the agony of making the decision.  But I don't remember exactly when it happened. 

***************************************