I was so happy to get back, in part because I was in a place the past few days where almost everyone had come to get some measure of protection from their mistakes, refuge from the harshness of a cruel and unforgiving world where many had made serious errors.
Today I met some friends at the supermarket that I should have remembered, but I could not recall their names or their faces without some prompting. I apologize to everyone for such inappropriate treatment. I hope we are still friends. I know this is poor treatment indeed, and I am truly sorry for my awful bad manners. I simply cannot recall my memory at will, and it will continue to grow worse, I expect. I may lose my memories altogether, I suppose.
The man I met was one of my fire department friends, and in my exuberance at meeting again, I moved to give him a hug. He moved away as if startled and taken aback, and I realized then that it was inappropriate. I am sorry I did the wrong thing. I am stupid indeed about such matters, and it only later occurred to me that he might be uncomfortable with such a display of affection between manly men. I hope the gesture was not mistaken to mean anything more than gratitude for seeing a friend from our decimated ranks of volunteers. We put so much effort together into building up the core of the group, and now tragic events have overcome so many of the brave men and women who gave their time and talent to get that venture off the ground.
