Transcript for the Piece Audio version of Do You Remember What You Hear?

Can you remember things that people said to you 20, 30 or even 60 years ago? I can. Why do we remember these seemingly unimportant and insignificant words and phrases for years?
I can remember things that Paul Anderson and Ralph Cline and Mr. Frieder and Bruno Peterson and Alvin Hawkins said over 55 years ago, but when I wake up in the morning I can't remember what my wife said the night before.
I was coming home from Bangor, when a car behind me started blinking its lights. I stopped and jumped out, as did the young man who was flagging me. I said, "You've been drinking." My first impression, kind of struck me in the face. I had to mention it to him. He said, "Only a beer. I saw your name on the back of your truck and had to talk to you. You know, I saw you up at Union Fair in your model T truck 10 or so years ago and you told me that you never learn anything after you're in the seventh grade. I've never forgotten it, and you know, I believe it."
Now I know that I never said any such thing, but that is what this young man remembered. What I'm sure I said, because I've said it often, is, "Read everything you can when you're in the sixth grade, because that's when you can remember everything. Your mind is like glue. It's impossible to forget what you read when you're in the sixth grade at school. Every year after that, learning becomes more difficult."
That young man didn't remember what I said, he only remembered what he thought I said. So that means that I probably don't really remember what Paul Anderson or Bruno Peterson said 55 years ago either, which is probably a good thing.