Early onset of dementia

Recently, more than one friend of mine has remarked on my remarkable memory. They were impressed that I was able to remember obscure details that people don't usually remember. For example, I've come to realize that I'm very good at remembering the height of a person. To me, someone's height is as much a part of their "identity" (in my mind) as their name or their face. So once I know the height, I typically don't forget.

Anyway, these compliments must have gone to my head. In fact, they went to my head with such force that they obliterated certain memory neurons (ironically), causing me to forget some very basic and important details.

Detail #1: Where I left my driver's license

I was flipping through my wallet today and to my surprise discovered that my driver's license was missing. This is odd because I only ever take it out when I need to show it to someone, and even then usually I am able to leave it in the transparent plastic sleeve I keep it in. (This was surprising. At the same time, I was grateful to have been made aware of this in the safety of my own office, and not after being pulled over on the freeway for doing 90 or something.)

I decided it would be most prudent to remedy the problem immediately, so I went to the nearest DMV. This leads me to detail #2...

Detail #2: WTH did I REALLY just forget my PIN?

I go to the DMV. As everyone knows, this is a painful experience. The line was out the building and down the other side. I waited for almost an hour and a half. When my number was finally called, I got up to the window, submitted my paperwork, and then handed the clerk my American Express for the $25 fee. He asked for debit. I hand him my debit card. He hands me the keypad to enter my PIN. Instinctively--and inexplicably--I enter the last four numbers on my Visa CREDIT card. As I set it down, I thought "Why did I just do that? That's not right." Sure enough, transaction didn't go through. The clerk ran my card again and handed back the keypad. I stared at it like I would an object that had just dropped out of space and was beeping at me in some weird alien language. How was I not remembering my PIN? I had just used it at an ATM two weeks earlier with no problem. I could almost visualize the movement my fingers would make on the keypad, but at the same time...I couldn't. Something wasn't right. I shook my head and punched in another guess. DENIED. "You're going to have to come back" were the last words I heard before my eyes turned red, my skin green, and I grew about ten times in size (at least, that's how I felt as I stomped out of there).

How do you just forget your PIN? That's ridiculous. I'm not that old. I'm not on any drugs. I exercise daily. This just isn't right! Chances are I'm going to wake up tomorrow morning and remember it. That's just how these things work, kids.