Memories

Memories are funny things. We can think back to a certain time whenever and wherever we like, and maybe we’ll recall that memory with clarity in our mind’s eye, but that will be it.

But sometimes, whether it’s from hearing a sound, or smelling a smell, or seeing a sight, we’ll be transported back to a memory with such immersive detail that our present just fades away to the edges, leaving a picture perfect past in front of us.

When I was a little kid we had bunk beds. When we went on holiday to my grandparents’ house, my favourite holidays, they also had bunk beds. But having an older brother meant that I was always consigned to the lower bunk, when all I wanted to do was climb the ladder and be the king of the castle. So when I started pretending to be an adult (see previous blip) it was a quiet dream of mine to one day have my own bunk beds, and finally get the top bunk to myself.

My quiet dream became a loud reality recently, and when I’d eventually assembled the beds and laid the bedding out, the first thing I did was climb the ladder and lie on the top bunk. It was a good experience, but highly anticlimactic since I no longer had the urge to carry my action man collection up there and claim the “high ground”, nor to fling stuff at my siblings knowing they couldn’t get me back.

It was with some disgruntlement that I climbed back down the ladder, and then, almost as an afterthought, I squeezed myself into the bottom bunk. Instantly I became Baby Michael, dragged away from the bills, the work, the stress and the responsibilities of daily life, and into a world of safety and wonder.

I wasn’t expecting it, and for a few seconds it was a lovely experience to have, but only for a few seconds.

Would I choose to be that age again? No. That little guy’s very much alive inside of me, and now he has access to remote control helicopters and electric guitars, so he’s happy.

Is there a point to all of this? A question that could be aimed at any of my blips thus far, and almost always the answer is no.

Are my knees really that knobbly? I'm afraid so, yes.