<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I watch a televised game between the Giants and Nationals at San Francisco\u2019s Oracle Park, the announcers flashback to the historic 2007 moment when slugger Barry Bonds hit his 756th home run against Nationals pitcher Mike Bacsic, breaking Hank Aaron’s all-time record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was a stunning achievement by a Hall-of-Fame-worthy player, who would set the final home run tally at 765, and hold the all-time single-season record of 73 set in 2001, records which may never be broken.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt’s a shame they haven\u2019t put Barry Bonds into the Baseball Hall of Fame yet,\u201d I say to my wife sitting next to me on the sofa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lilly shrugs. \u201cWell, yeah, you know, he will never be voted in, they will always hold it against him. He earned it; he should be in the hall.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI agree. Even though he said he didn\u2019t use them, and there\u2019s no proof he ever did,\u201d I say. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My stomach growls. \u201cHey babe, I\u2019m hungry. I\u2019ll pause the game to get a snack.\u201d I look for the remote; it\u2019s not in its usual place on the end table. \u201cWhere\u2019s the remote?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lilly waves the remote in her right hand. \u201cYou gave it to me, remember?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah, I remember,\u201d I lie. The inning ends in a double play and goes to commercials, so there\u2019s no need to pause. \u201cYou know, it\u2019s because they accused him of using all those hemorrhoids and stuff.\u201d As soon as I say it, I know it\u2019s not the right word. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHemorrhoids?\u201d Lilly snickers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I wink at Lilly. \u201cUh, no, I meant asteroids.\u201d I know that isn\u2019t the right word either, but I\u2019m too chagrined to admit it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lilly giggles. \u201cAsteroids? Oh, my gosh!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJust playing with you,\u201d I laugh over my shoulder as I walk to the kitchen. Wait, what is the right word? I know it, but it escapes me. It\u2019s hiding in a recess of my brain somewhere, just beyond my grasp, but I can\u2019t find it. I\u2019m stumped. Come on, think, think, think. I know it ends with \u201croids,\u201d but that\u2019s all I know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I fill a bowl with chips and ranch dip, and set it on the coffee table in the living room. The game\u2019s back on, but I\u2019ve lost interest because I still can\u2019t think of the word, and I\u2019m really concerned. Am I losing my mind? I can\u2019t let her think I don\u2019t know the right word. I need to stall for more time. \u201cHey babe, would you like another Bloody Maria?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes, please,\u201d Lilly answers. \u201cAnd make it extra strong this time with more tequila.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWill do.\u201d I return to the kitchen and mentally run through every \u201croid,\u201d word I can muster as I slowly prepare the drinks: deltoid, android, fibroid, rheumatoid, anthropoid, planetoid, devoid, annoyed, avoid, toy, oy\u2026no no no! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My pulse quickens, and I panic. My mind is mush; I can\u2019t think. What\u2019s wrong with me? Come on, dummy, it\u2019s in there somewhere, you know the word, grab it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I return to the living room and hand Lilly her drink. \u201cDid you get lost?\u201d she smirks. \u201cI almost went looking for you.\u201d She sips the drink and moans: \u201cUmm hmm\u2026aah\u2026ooh\u2026oh my gosh\u2026this is so freaking good!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I can\u2019t deny that the way she gushes over the drink is pretty sexy, but I can\u2019t think about that right now. I plop down on the sofa next to her, my drink in hand, perplexed by that word I can\u2019t remember. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lilly is absorbed in the game, scrutinizing every pitch and play. I barely notice as I rack my brain for the word that evades me. I place my drink on the coffee table, pick up my phone, and tilt the screen towards me, just enough that she can\u2019t see it. In the search bar I type: \u201cwords that end with roid.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A long list of words appears, some of which I\u2019ve already thought of and many I haven\u2019t. I scan the list. There it is, the elusive word suddenly as obvious as can be: \u201csteroids.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sheesh! People accused Barry Bonds of using steroids, not asteroids or hemorrhoids. I knew that. But why couldn\u2019t I think of it? Maybe I\u2019m getting old, but still. Do I have early-onset dementia or something? Am I losing my mind? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I ponder, perplexed but strangely amused. I shouldn\u2019t tell her; it will make me look stupid. But I\u2019m concerned about my mental health. It\u2019s not the first time my memory has failed me, and it seems to happen more often these days. But it\u2019s also kind of funny. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHey, honey, can you pause the game for a second? I\u2019ve got to tattle on myself.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lilly pauses the game and looks at me, her eyebrows raised expectantly. \u201cI love when you rat yourself out. Shoot.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo\u2026remember a few minutes ago when I was joking with you about Barry Bonds using hemorrhoids and asteroids?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes, of course. It was funny. But I knew what you meant.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, to be honest, I said it because I couldn\u2019t remember the word \u2018steroids\u2019 for the life of me. It\u2019s like I knew it, and it was right there but just out of reach, and I couldn\u2019t grab it, and I panicked a little. Am I losing my mind? Dementia runs in my family, and I\u2019m kind of afraid it might be happening to me.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lilly gives me a reassuring smile and squeezes my hand. \u201cNo, babe, you\u2019re not losing your mind. It happens to all of us, even me sometimes.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cReally? You\u2019ve never told me that before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOf course, honey. It\u2019s just a part of being human, getting older, maybe some stress, being worried, or whatever. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s anything to worry about, and you eventually remembered the word.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah, well, no, that\u2019s the problem, I didn\u2019t remember. I had to ask Mr. Google for help. See?” I show her the search bar history on my phone: at the top of the list is \u201cwords that end with roid.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She cups her hand to her mouth to suppress a giggle, then bursts into unrestrained laughter as she loses control. \u201cOh my god,\u201d she snorts, \u201cthat\u2019s the funniest thing ever.\u201d Her laughter is contagious; it infects me, and we laugh together until we\u2019re both clutching our sides and gasping for breath. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After several minutes, the laughter subsides, and Lilly wipes tears from her eyes. \u201cOh wow, that was hilarious. I haven\u2019t laughed that hard in years. Thanks babe, for\u2026tattling.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUh huh,\u201d I say as I wipe my own eyes. \u201cThere\u2019s something liberating about being able to laugh at yourself, and not take yourself so seriously.\u201d My mind sobers. \u201cBut I am concerned about my memory. It scares me, especially as I\u2019m getting older.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLook, like I said, I think it\u2019s normal; you have it together in almost every other way, big and small. Almost.\u201d Lilly smirks as she playfully nudges me with her elbow. At least you knew you knew the word, and you remembered it eventually, even if you needed a little help. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah, but\u2026\u201d I protest, as Lilly interrupts. \u201cCut yourself some slack, my love, you\u2019re not losing your mind. And even if you do, I promise you will never lose me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lilly gives me a kiss and snuggles up to me as the game plays in the background, but my mind is elsewhere. I think of how a sports legend like Barry Bonds can inspire through extraordinary record-breaking feats, yet cause controversy by purported ethical choices as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I think of how ordinary human traits like forgetfulness and doubt can evoke fear and laughter at the most unexpected times. I realize that, whether a superstar or mortal, we are all human at our core; we are all capable of greatness and failure, and we all travel similar paths on the same planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I hold Lilly tight, and close my eyes. I don\u2019t know what my future holds, and I don\u2019t know if my memory lapse is a cause for concern. But it\u2019s moments like these that define our humanity, keep us humble, and teach us to laugh and not to take ourselves too seriously. It reminds us to enjoy the game \u2014 be it baseball or life \u2014 and cherish each other through the unexpected twists and turns of the journey along the way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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