I Forgot to Remember to Forget

There is a man in California who, if he read the above title, would have forgotten how it started before he'd finished it.

Also in California is a woman who can remember virtually any day in her life. Ask what she did on the afternoon of 11 April 1982 and she'll tell you, without any hesitation, down to the smallest detail.

For someone who goes into his kitchen and can't remember why he's standing there, I find this lady amazing.

You might wonder why a magician, like myself, is writing about memory. Actually, several magicians have had memory acts; notably Harry Lorayne, and David Berglas. As early as 1940 mentalist Bernard Zufall published his Method for Memorizing Magazines, using a system very similar to those of Lorayne and Berglas. World Memory Champion Dominic O'Brien developed a different system which I use to memorise a deck of cards, the FA Cup Final results, and I can't remember how many other things. In fact, I developed a complete memory act using O'Brien's methods. The only thing I have difficulty with is remembering names. One I do recall is that of Seneca the Elder, who could memorise 2,000 names. Quite excellent, but of course, as an act, somewhat repetitive.

Other magicians may be just as famous for their memory lapses. William Goldston, tells the tale of a performer, named Charles Denny, who asked Goldston to critique his rehearsal of a new illusion. It was a hot day so, after meeting on stage, they immediately adjourned for a cold lunch followed by a row on the river. Returning to the landing stage, Denny suddenly recalled he had left his girl assistant in the secret compartment of the box illusion! Racing back to the theatre, they were just in time to revive the unconscious girl.

Goldston's own poor memory surfaced in 1918 when a clergyman, claiming to be the equal of Houdini came to see him. He insisted Goldston cuff him with a pair, of what he claimed, were regulation handcuffs. Goldston could find nothing wrong with the cuffs but, just to make things a little more interesting, he passed the handcuffs round the balustrade on the landing outside his room before leaving the clergyman there while he answered his telephone.

Unfortunately, it was an urgent business call which sent Goldston hurrying off to a luncheon meeting. When he returned two hours later he found the clergyman still handcuffed to the stairs and not in a very Christian mood. Goldston, apologising profusely, pointed out that Houdini would have escaped in two minutes, which did nothing to soothe the man's feelings.

The strangest thing, for me, is what my memory chooses to hang on to. I can, for instance, recall insignificant things from when I was a kid, - a Mars Bar cost 4d, and I used to buy four Football Chums for a penny - but I cannot retain the important things.

And this is where you can help me. If you find you aren't reading this, please let me know, and I'll remember I forgot to write it.