Times and chimes

I am getting real forgetful nowadays. It's a sure sign of aging and senility. Misplaced my keys, money, books and even forgot to pay for my food and drinks at the coffeeshop. On several occasions, Ruth had to remind me to jot down the more important things, names or numbers or write a note to myself in case I forget!

You see, I have never been good at remembering names and directions. Just imagine the embarrassment and akwardness when I had to enquire or ask again about the name of the person whom I had just been introduced or had the pleasure to meet. Or even, ask for the same direction several times before finding my way to the correct destination. An incident happened during our family vacation in Taiwan three years ago. Of course, during any vacation or tours, shopping for souvenirs, local delicacies, etc, is a must. Our tour guide recommended the best shopping "malls", eateries and reminded us to be back on the tour bus on time. So, off we went with all the eagerness and excitement. Ruth and I were so engrossed in our shopping and bargaining that we lost track of time and direction. By the time we realised it, it was time for us to head back for the bus or you can well imagine the "sour" faces of the guide and others in the group. We tried to retrace our steps but it seems that we just could not remember the route back. I began to panic and Ruth started crying. We were lost! I tried asking for directions but could not get our bearings right. There were buildings and people everyway. When the tour guide counted us missing, he went "hunting" for us. It was fortunate that he managed to locate two very lost and frightened tourists. It was a terribly embarrasing and humbling experience. After the incident, we kept very close to the group and hardly dared to out venture on our own. It was a lesson that we could hardly afford to forget!