I’m not careless. I’m just stupid and preoccupied.

My wife opened the refrigerator yesterday morning and found this:

See the problem?

She texted me the photo and asked, “Is this the result of your advancing age?”

Sadly, she knows that this has nothing to do with my age. She lives with a man who does not notice details and specifics and makes blunders like this all the time.

She’s said many times that she’s not sure that I would be able to pick her out of a lineup of dark haired women. While this is obviously not true, the statement is born from truth.

Part of it is simply the way that I am wired. My visual memory is exceptionally poor. I do not remember what I see.

But I also think that part of the problem (especially in the case of the ice cream) is a constantly, inner dialogue that occupies a great deal of my mental faculties. Half-written novels, ongoing revisions, a screenplay, stories for the stage, children’s books, observations, future plans, anticipated battles and ever-present worries and concerns are constantly swirling around in my mind, causing me to do some exceptionally stupid and mindless things.

And in some cases, downright tragic things, like leaving two quarts of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in the refrigerator.