When The Head Forgets, The Heart Remembers. (8/3/24) Short Story

In a small town of Bt Ho Swee, there lived a young couple named Meng and Mei. They had known each other since their teenage years and were madly in love with each other. Meng had recently completed his national service in the army, and the couple decided that it was time to take their relationship to the next level and get married.

However, their decision was met with resistance from their parents. They believed that Meng and Mei were too young and not mature enough to handle the responsibilities of married life. Despite the objections, Meng and Mei were determined to be together and eventually tied the knot.

As time went on, it became clear that their parents' concerns were not unfounded. Due to their immaturity, Meng and Mei found themselves having frequent quarrels over various issues, such as finance, kids, and housework. These disagreements began to take a toll on their relationship, and they started drifting apart.

Even though they had three beautiful children named Fievel, Fabian, and Farah, their irreconcilable differences continued to widen the gap between them. They rarely spoke to each other for weeks, and their once passionate love seemed to fade away.

Finally, when their three children had grown into adulthood and were independent enough to live on their own, Meng and Mei made the difficult decision to divorce. They both cited their incompatible characters and irreconcilable differences as the cause of their split.

Their children, though aware of their parents' frequent quarrels, never expected it to come to this. They tried to mediate between their parents, but the damage was too deep, and they eventually accepted that their parents' relationship was beyond repair.

Years passed swiftly, and both Meng and Mei remained alone, never remarrying. They chose to live their lives separately, each carrying the weight of their lost love. But fate had a different plan in store for them.

In their late 70s, Meng and Mei were struck down by dementia almost simultaneously. Their children, wanting to make visitations easier, decided to send both of them to the same old folks rehabilitation center. However, their advanced dementia symptoms made it difficult for them to recognize even their own children, let alone each other.

As the days went by, Meng and Mei would occasionally cross paths at the center. Although they hardly recognized each other, a sense of familiarity sparked within them. One day, during a partnered activity, their eyes met, and something magical happened.

Meng initiated the conversation by asking Mei, "You look familiar. Have I met you before?" Mei, with a hint of recognition in her eyes, replied, "You look familiar too. Have I met you somewhere?"

Both of them had lost their memories due to dementia, but their hearts seemed to remember something. They were in their early 80s now, and through that first re-introduction and the many subsequent activities they were paired in, their relationship seemed to re-blossom in their golden years.

Every day, despite their slow mobility, they found immense happiness in each other's company. The staff at the center noticed their union and learned about their past life through their children. Their children, even though their parents had no recollection or memory of their past life, were overjoyed by their parents' reunion.

Their unorthodox reunion lasted until their passing at the venerable age of 95. Meng departed first, with Mei following suit several weeks later, probably due to loneliness missing Meng. Rather than mourn, their children chose to commemorate their enduring love during their twilight years.

Indeed, love is mysterious in its ability to reunite old flames that have drifted apart and bring them together again. Meng and Mei's story is a beautiful example of a memory lost but with a heartwarming ending, reminding us that love can find its way back, even in the most unexpected circumstances.