Doctor Williams was talking about memory one evening because he had read something about memory in older folks earlier that day.    �Memory is a funny thing,� he was saying, and almost everyone present was agreeing with him. �Sometimes we can remember things that happened seventy years ago and can�t remember what happened yesterday.�

   �Don�t believe that to be true,� seventy eight year Mr. Alfred Burns said in answer to the statement. �Don�t think my brother and I have ever forgotten a thing, have we Ben?�

   �Can�t think of a thing either one of us has forgotten, brother,� Ben answered trying to look as wise as his younger sibling.

   �Well,� the doctor said, �let�s give you a little memory test. Tell us what you remember.�

   �That shouldn�t take too long,� someone said loud enough for most people to hear but too low for the two brothers, who both suffered a slight loss of hearing, to hear.

   �You want me to tell him or do you want to, Ben?� Al asked.

   �You do it, Al, you�re the smart one in the family,� came back the unexpected answer.

   �Aayah that�s true,� Al modestly boasted.

�I think my first real clear memory is when I was about two and I saw myself in a mirror for the first time. I don�t recollect ever seeing a cuter baby.    I remember the names of every boy and girl in all my school classes, and I remember my teachers, both of them. Before school opened for the day and during recess the little kids played hide and seek and the bigger kids played tag. When we went inside we pledged allegiance to the flag and then everyone bowed their head and we said the Lord�s prayer. I remember my second kiss but I won�t tell anyone who the girl was.�

   �Go ahead and tell, Al,� Ben said, �she won�t mind after all these years.

   �No, Ben, I won�t. I promised Lois years ago I wouldn�t tell a soul, and I won�t.�

   �You said you remembered the second kiss,� Dr. Williams said thinking he may have trapped Al. �Can�t you remember your first kiss?�

   �Aayah, I do,� Al said, �but I was so young it�s kind of fuzzy in my mind.�

   �Tell us about it and maybe it won�t be so fuzzy,� Ben said trying to help his brother.

   �I�m sure, Al, you remember we were both born at home and mother had a mid-wife named Alice to help her with the delivery. It was nearly half an hour after I was born and cleaned up that she took me in her arms and kissed me right on the lips and told me what a handsome boy I was.�

   For some reason or other a few eyebrows raised. �I remember my first dog,� Al quickly added thinking someone might question his very early memories.

  �What was your dog�s name?� Doctor Williams asked trying to make sure Al remembered.

  �Dog,� Al answered, �why would I call him anything else.

  �Most people call their dogs names like Shep or Rover and I thought you may have given your dog a name.� Doctor Williams said.

�Nope, didn�t have a need to do that,� Al replied. �Every time I wanted him I just called dog and he came a running. Besides that, if I called him Shep or Rover he wouldn�t know who I was talking to. I remember my first  tricycle, my first gun, my first sled, my first pair of ice skates, my first...�

   �You should remember them, Al,� Mr. Ben Burns said to his brother, �you still have them hid away in the barn.�

  �Aayah, I do,� Al said and scowled at his brother, �You want to tell this story or you want me to?�

  �You�re doing good, Al, just keep going,�Ben said.

  �I recollect the name of every book I have ever read...�

  �Shouldn�t be too hard to remember Bible,� Ben broke in again. �As far as I know it�s the only book you have ever read all the way through.�

  �True, Ben, but I remember reading it," Al said and continued, �I remember the first fish I ever caught, my first girl friend, my first black eye...�

  �You never did tell me how you got that black eye,� Ben broke in again.

  �It was my first fight and I got into that fight because Les Wilson said I looked a lot like you,� Al went on. �I remember my first horse and buggy, I remember my first car, and I remember the day I saved your life two times, Ben.�

   �I�ve been trying to forget that for years,� Ben said and hung his head a little.

  �How did you save Ben�s life two times in one day?� Clarence asked as his interest in the story climbed.

  �I kind of hate to mention it myself,� Al said but knew he couldn�t stop now. �Ben was almost sixteen at the time and he came home from a dance at the grange one night and he was feeling better than he should have been. Haddie Enhart had bought a bottle of whiskey and Ben had helped Hattie drink it. It was the first time Ben had ever tasted the devil�s brew and he liked it. When he walked through the door he was staggering like a wounded buck and you could smell him half way across the room. When our mother finally realized what was going on she got out her broom and headed for Ben. At the same time dad was reaching for the razor strop and by the looks on his face Ben was in for a hard time.�

  �How did you save his life,? Clarence asked.

  �I knew for sure mom was going to kill him first and then dad was going to kill him all over again for getting drunk when he was less than sixteen so I did the only thing I could think of on the spur of the moment. I grabbed my right side, let out a loud yell, groaned, and starting acting like I was dying."

  �You were dying, Al,� Ben broke in yet one more time, �you had an attack of appendicitis and mom and dad had to rush you to the hospital.

  "You want to tell this story, Ben, or do you want me to?"

   "Go ahead, Al." Ben said getting a little mad because he was being chastised by his own brother.

   �I remember Sunday the sixteenth of July eighteen seventy nine real well too, Ben. You remember that day?� Al asked as he turned to his brother.

   �Don�t think I�ll ever forget it, Al. In fact every once in awhile when I sit down on my behind, or look at your nose, it reminds me of that sad day.�

   �What happened way back then?� Doctor Williams asked.

   �Well, as I recollect it, it was a beautiful, hot, day,� Al said once more getting lost in his thoughts. �Ben and I were down by the grammar school and decided to take a swim in Dreath�s Creek. As you all know the creek flows into the bay and is a lot warmer than water out in the bay. (Fundy) We swam in the creek for a little bit and decided we needed some deeper water to swim in so we went to the bay even though it was freezing. The tide was almost high but we knew the water would be cold so we got us some birch wood from the school woodshed and built us a warm fire so we could get warm after our swim. We knew it was Sunday but we didn�t know what time it was. We were diving from the high rocks near Dreath�s bridge and we were being real smart. The water was like ice so when Ben dove in I stayed on the rock to make sure he didn�t get in trouble. When I dove in he watched from the rock to make sure I didn�t get a cold water cramp and sink to the bottom. I was in the water, floundering around and having fun, when we both heard voices. It was some of the people from Wallace Cove and Quoddy Head driving their buggies back home from church. Ben and I were both swimming in our birthday suits and all I had to do was tread water until they all passed. Ben was standing on the rock, naked as a jay bird, and he decided to sit down and cover himself up as much as possible so the females wouldn�t see him. He quickly sat down on the rock, with his back facing the road, and almost immediately began letting out muffled yells. I couldn�t understand what he was saying, and when the buggies got close to the bridge I just held my breath and sank beneath the water. When I surfaced again the buggies had passed but there were several people on foot walking home. I just held my breath and sank under the water again. When I came back to the surface poor Ben was still sitting there mumbling words and crying like a baby. When the last person was out of sight I got out of the water and Ben stood up. We started to put our clothes on and I could see why Ben was crying. When he sat down he didn�t know the fire had just shot out two red hot embers, each about the size of a barn swallow�s egg. When Ben sat down he landed right on those embers with his bare bottom. He couldn�t stand up because the females would have seen him naked and he had to sit there until everyone had passed. When I saw the big red spot that he was trying to cover up I couldn�t help myself and I started laughing. It made Ben mad and without thinking about it he reached over and poked me on the nose. I bled for a little bit but poor Ben hurt for a week.�

   �What made you laugh when Ben was hurting so much?� some asked.

   �It was the red mark on Ben�s bottom,� Al said and started laughing again. �The shape of the burns, one on each cheek, made his behind look like a face with big, red, blood-shot eyes.

   Al talked on and on telling all the things he remembered and before he realized it the store was getting ready to close.

   �Did I drive tonight or did you?� Al asked Ben.

   �Neither one,� Ben answered, �we walked.�

  Doctor William�s face lit up like a Halloween jack-o�-lantern as he asked Al, �Couldn�t remember if you drove tonight or not, Al?�

   "Oh, I remembered all right, Doc Williams,� Al said as he headed for the door with his brother close behind. �I just had a short lapse in my think machine.�