A LOOK AT MEMORY

Several months ago our Trivia leader here used some of

the questions (with answers) that I had made up for the game. Since the questions were not on little Trivia Pursuit cards, some asked where they came from. The leader said they came from me. I had not wanted that known. But at the end of the game, a clear voice came from the back of the room: These were awfully good questions. However, the leader told me privately she would not continue with my questions, for “they were too hard!” I knew they were not too hard, but perhaps such a comment had stemmed from jealousy. I bided my time.

When last week’s questions typified “What was the name of the dog that belonged to Ricky Willis’s cousin in Ohio?” I had had enough of this nonsense. I asked her to give my questions another try but not to tell who this time. Two days ago she did that. No one asked where they came from, though they could see the white pages, printer copy size. I played dumb and even answered a question wrong on purpose.

All the above was to prepare you for this most revealing aspect of the game. Several months ago one of the questions was this: In what city is the world’s only exact replica of the Parthenon [original in Athens, Greece]. At that time a lady guessed Athens, Georgia. When she heard the correct answer, she kept saying she thought it was Athens, Georgia. She’d always believed so. Well, this time around, when this question was asked, this same lady guessed Paris and London. Another person on her side then guessed New York. When my side got one chance to answer it, a lady in the back said, “Nashville, Tennessee.” Hooray! I don’t know if she remembered it from the earlier game or if she has “been there and done that.” Second time around, they liked the questions and want more of them next time. And no one seemed to have a thought about the answers from before or who created them.

These Trivia Nuts are all in my age group, a few younger and a few older. Advice won’t help. But the best thing for your memory, they say, is to choose your ancestors wisely. ♥