Friday, October 24, 2008

4000 Questions: Question #44: Can you describe your first memory?


I don't really know. I remember some things from my childhood that I'm not sure if they are truly my memories or just stories I have heard & imagined in my own mind. For example, I remember going hiking with my parents, Aunt Connee, & Uncle Randy when I was like one or two years old. Uncle Randy carried me around on his back in this harness thing. Now I've heard this story over & over again so I'm not really sure if I remember it or if hearing the story has just put the memory in my mind.

Another example would be when my mom was pregnant with my sister & a really bad storm blew through. We had to hide in the bathroom because we were afraid it was a tornado. Mom kept singing to me & Dad kept running in & out of the bathroom telling us how bad it was out there. I really don't know if I remember this or not. I have a little movie that plays in my mind about it but I'm not really sure if I truly remember it.

I guess one of the earliest memories that I can say I truly do remember is the night my sister was born. I remember I was staying at Papa & Grannies house (back when that had that 1960's rough to bare knees carpet). They had some friends over drinking coffee & talking. I don't really remember who they were but I knew that I knew them (probably from church). Then Dad called to tell me I had a baby sister & I remember running around the living room & dancing & singing, "I have a baby sister. I have a baby sister." All of that I actually do remember.

I also remember when we were going to bring her home from the hospital. They wheeled out an incubator with a baby doll in it for me. That was so cool. Later that doll got very sick & Dr. Kristy had to perform emergency surgery with a marker on the doll. I still have that doll. She now has matted hair & scars (aka marker) over her abdomen, but I will always have her. However, I think she is still at Mom & Dad's house right now. :)

2 comments:

Paul's Thoughts said...

I love how Americans spell Mom, (here it is Mum) along with color (here it is colour). I would much prefer to spell it like you guys do. Your post for some odd reason made me think of the paintings “the persistence of memory” and “the disintegration of the persistence of Memory”, and for the life of me the only reason is that “memory” is in their titles. Anyway, I think it is great that one of your first memories is of your sister. Also, I liked that bit about Dr Kristy, you must have a steady hand for the cut, err marker precision lines, glad to hear the doll pulled through. I only have one item from my childhood, a rock if you will, not as interesting as your story however, but none the less meaningful.

Unknown said...

Paul, I know. Very odd how our country, coming from Britian, changed the spelling of so many words. I think the study of ethmology is very interesting.

LOL A rock. Hehe. My parents kept two rocks from out childhood too. They are ones my sis & I painted at a summer library program & actually got our picture in the paper for that. Hehe.