He got on the bus snapping the band on his wrist.
He’d read this article on the web about people, like him, who suffered from having a bad memory. It had been quite successful so far, especially for things around the house or in the warehouse where he worked. This one would be a major test. In this case it was there to remind him to call in at the newsagents when he got off the bus. Snapping it from time to time helped to keep the thing in his mind. So far, so good. As he got off the bus he headed straight across the road to the shop. He was feeling rather pleased with himself until he was walking between the aisles, wondering what he was doing there. It was the newsagents, wasn’t it? He was sure it was, but what did he want from here? He couldn’t imagine. He snapped the band a couple of times, hoping it would jog his memory. It didn’t help.
He felt foolish when the guy behind the counter called out, asking if he could help. He lied, telling him he’d forgotten his shopping list and hurried out. On the five minute walk to his house he continually snapped the band and asked himself what he needed from the shop. Again, it didn’t help. When he got home he went around from room to room, hoping something would jog his mind. He was becoming so frustrated that he was snapping the band harder and harder, until finally, it broke. His first thought was to throw it in the bin and forget the idea entirely. After all, it hadn’t worked! Then he had second thoughts; he should persevere. It had worked on smaller things. He’d keep a band on until it came back to him. He would sleep with it on if he had to. He went to the drawer to get another one.
That’s when he remembered.