I Remember

I Remember

 

Recently, Joe Biden has told several stories where research has shown facts make his stories just that, stories. 

His dates are off, the locations are wrong, and his memories include things that never happened.

I have to empathize with the ex-VP.  I often remember events like they were just yesterday, and yet my facts are all off.  I’m pretty sure the events are accurate, but the facts…not so much.

It is called being old!

When I was nine years old, I clearly remember hunkering down during a hurricane in Ocean City New Jersey.  It was at my Grandmother’s house, a block from the ocean.  It had to be early September as we did not go to the shore after school started, it was probably Labor Day weekend, in 1955, or 1956.

I remember being on the third floor of Grandma Gus’ shore house, scared silly as the house was swaying.  My Grandma assured me that the house was built to sway in heavy winds, otherwise it would just snap!  I did not find that to be reassuring.

I remember the ocean met the bay that storm, and there was water all over, though it did not get into the house.  I remember clear as day when the eye passed over and all was calm for about 20 minutes before all Hell broke out again.

I remember for sure this storm was Hurricane Hazel.  Who would forget that name?

Research has shown me there were no storms in NJ in early September 1955 or 1956. 

Hurricane Hazel was in in 1954.  It struck in October 1954.  In 1954, my family was still living in California.

I googled Hurricanes in NJ.  The only hurricanes that hit NJ in 1955 or 56 were not direct hits.  The only hurricane that hit near Ocean City that could fit my memory was Iona in September 1955.  Except it hit September 19.  School started early September, not sure why we would have been at the shore after school started.  Also, records show that the eye of that hurricane did not pass anywhere near southern NJ.

I have a distinct memory of living through a hurricane in September 1955/56 in southern New Jersey.  I was scared, I remember the howling winds, the rain, the flooding, the sudden calm as the eye passed over.  I remember all these things as clear as day.

Google says it never happened.

Something happened, I remember it clearly.  Except it couldn’t have happened according to the storm records I researched.

Take it easy on ex-Vice President Biden.  Facts and events and just things you may have heard get jumbled in your mind when you are old. 

Things that old people remember are not lies.  These things happened.

Except they didn’t.