Well. What did I come in here for?

I came in here for a reason. I'm sure I did. Was it to get something? Hmm...

Oh yeah, I forgot to bring that in with me. I'll go get it, maybe I'll remember what I came in here for when I get it.

Now, what was it I came back out here for?


I've recently seen “What did I come in here for?” posted as a suggestion for a fun quasi-Olympic sport on my favourite writer's fan-club website. I think this could make for an interesting challenge. The prizes would be hard to award, or remember where you put them, but how many times do people find themselves getting into a room, know they are there for a reason, but they just can't remember what it is? It's not an age thing – the person who suggested it first is only 18!

So why does the change in scenery make you forget something that made you get up and move towards it?

Could this be used for good? If you were about to have a fist-fight with someone, could you distract them, tell them they forgot to bring something and get them to go back and get it, thus disarming them? They would forget what they went in there for, and stand and think about it long enough that you could escape. OK, that does sound a bit like a Monty Python sketch, but would it work?