Commit This to Memory

I have an extraordinary ability to remember things, especially names of people. Granted, I have a hard time remembering someone's name 5 minutes after I meet them, but as soon as its learned, it sticks.

When I was in grades 9 and 10, I knew the names of every person I went to school with (all 900 of them). Call it a cross between obsessively reading my yearbooks, OCD, and a steel trap memory, but I could name off every person I passed in the hallway. Of course, when I got to grade 12 and everyone was younger than me, I mostly stopped paying attention.

Since I started my job in the mall, I've seen a few people I went to school with. I filled an order for a girl I had grade 12/OAC law with and I mentioned I remembered her. Of course, she had no idea who I was. It got me wondering...how many people could I point out as schoolmates who would have no idea who I am? Probably tons.

Along with my ability to remember names, I remember phone numbers and dates easily, too. I can name off the phone numbers of old friends I don't talk to anymore. I can tell you the date of the first time I ever held hands with a boy, the dates of all of the vacations I took while living in Nunavut, and what number my high school bus was.

In many ways other than just memory, I feel like I have an abnormal brain compared to most people. I did that autism quotient test that was going around and the results were exactly as predicted: (apparently) I'm half-way between normal and having mild autism. Makes total sense to me, especially looking back upon my entire life. I guess there's not much to say about that other than I'm kinda different but also pretty normal. Who knows.