Yesterday afternoon, I was talking with a neighbour and was part way describing something when he asked a question that derailed my train of thought. I couldn’t remember what I was was heading towards so we had to abandon that conversational tack and take another one. I told him that I’d probably wake up in the night and remember it, which I didn’t, but it did come flashing back this afternoon while talking to someone else.

Is this a sign of old age? Possibly not. I have a distinct memory from when I was about 17 or 18 of being in the cinema with friends. I think the movie may have been Die Hard 2 (the release date fits with the timeline) and, during the adverts, I was talking about a musical style that was related to cajun music but I couldn’t remember the name of it. I knew I knew it but just couldn’t bring it to mind. Sure enough, the next day, it popped into my head. Zydeco was the style (cajun was the music of white settlers around New Orleans; zydeco was the equivalent from the black populace of that area). I don’t think I’ve forgotten that since!

I don’t think it is just me that has this experience so, I conclude, thoughts are like letters. Sometimes they go astray and arrive much later than you wanted!