So there I was, in the middle of a town with not a clue as to where I was, who I was or how the hell I had got there!

A few people 'looked' at me as they passed by, one even said 'hello'. I didn't have a clue who they were.

I was just stood there in what seemed a junction of 4 streets surrounded by shops and people milling round, but all seemed to circle right around me.

I saw a bench near one of the corners so I went to sit on it, the next thing I knew it was very bright and people were all around pulling at my clothes, talking to me, everything was just whirring around, and I blacked out.

As I came around I felt very ‘wuzzy’ and my mouth was dry. There was a lady in a kind of uniform sat with me reading a book, she must have sensed me looking at me, as she looked up from her book she smiled and said ‘hello my names Anne’ I didn’t answer. She said later that I had had a ‘vacant’ look on my face. ‘I’ll just call the nurse over’ and she got up and went over to what looked like a counter and talked to another lady. They both came over and smiled, the one in a dark blue dress said she just wanted to take my blood pressure, so like a smart alex I said where to? She gave me one of those smiles that seemed to say I have heard that a thousand times and pumped up the rubber bulb. She didn’t say anything else just wrote on a clipboard at the end of the bed and walked away. The other lady sat down again next to me and picked up her book.

I tried to ask where I was and what was happening to me, but I just seemed to go back to sleep.

I awoke with someone shoving a needle in me, it hurt and I said so! He just smiled and asked me my name, a tear came into my eye, I didn’t know.

I looked around whilst I lay there, I was curtained in, a flowery pattern, and I could hear people talking.

The lady sat with me asked me again what my name was and where had I come from? I felt so frustrated I just screamed out! The curtains parted and in came a man and woman looking startled. The lady sat down told them what happened, she tucked me in saying everything would be alright and he was saying to give me something in what seemed a foreign language and wrote on the clipboard.

A few minutes passed and another lady came in with a tray, another needle, she must have seen me looking scared. She was very good, explained what she was doing, and I never felt a thing, not even going off to sleep……

When I next awoke I was famished, I looked around but the curtains were still drawn around me, I had a strange – well night-dress on! It had writing on all over it but it was all blurred so I didn’t bother with it. The curtains parted and another lady came in, she had a bright and cheery smile, said ‘good morning’ almost as if she was singing and asked if I wanted something to eat. Not waiting for a reply she turned to a trolley and brought a tray to me, I said I don’t want any more jabs! Laughingly she said ‘its breakfast you silly man’, I smiled, felt like a bit of an idiot and said thank you.

After I finished I laid back and looked around and could see quite a few other beds with people in them, strange really they all were being fed.

I felt a surge of nervousness go right through me, the lady came and smiled at me again, said ‘well done’ picked up the tray and took it to the trolley. It seemed to take ages for all the others to finish and clear up. I couldn’t make out what was happening or where I was, another tear seemed to grow in my eye.

Another lady came around with a large trolley with a bowl on, closing the curtains she said she was just going to give me a wipe round, I said I could do it perfectly well, but she had my top off and was flannelling me over, then dried me and helped me back on with my top. At least she re-opened the curtains so I could see around.

Another lady came, this one didn’t have a uniform on she said she was a doctor. She looked at the clipboard and asked if I remembered anything, ‘like what’ I said, ‘well lets start with your name’ she said. A tear rolled down my cheek as I said I didn’t know it. She asked me if I knew how I got here, well I could answer that, well I though I could but I couldn’t, as another tear rolled down my cheek.

A smile crossed her face almost one of exasperation, as she said not to worry, and went away.

A Policeman came next with a Police lady, she started to tell me what had happened and where I was. Then the question came again, who was I and where had I come from, my whole body shuddered as the tears rolled down like a waterfall as I sobbed that I didn’t know!

A lady came around, I think she was a nurse, so many different uniforms. They both looked at me and gave a kind of smile, the Policeman said not to worry and that they would sort it all out, then left.

The day passed by slowly, people came and went, they were nice to me but also you could tell they were busy and didn’t have time to chat.

Visiting time, people came in and went to many of the beds but none to me, a nurse came and closed the curtain around me, ‘for a bit of privacy for you’ she said, and walked away. It felt as though I was in a gaol.

The day ended and the night came, watching the nurses going round with a large trolley giving everyone some form of medicine. They stopped at my bed, looked at the clipboard and got some tablets out of a bottle and gave them to me. I asked what they were, she just said its what the doctor had prescribed, now come on we have lots of people to see yet, so I took it and laid back.

Its morning and the sun is streaming through the window, the nurses are chattering away saying good morning to everyone and seemingly in a really good mood, brightened me up anyway.

Breakfast, a quick wash and brush up, and yet another lady came to see me, this time she had a badge on that said Matron. She was nice, she sat with me for what seemed ages just talking about how I felt and how I was being treated. She help my hand and said not to worry everything would be sorted out. Strange thing to say was that because I hadn’t a clue as to what needed ‘sorting out’.

The Police lady came again, this time on her own said hello and sat down next to me. She asked how I was and I said fine, I think, she half laughed and said that she thought I would be better soon.

She showed me a paper with a picture of me on, and said that my name was Michael, and that I was resident at a home in the town who reported me missing, and that the lady that ran the home would be coming in shortly to see me. I asked why I couldn’t remember anything, she said she couldn’t answer but not to worry. Not to worry, not to worry, everyone is telling me not to worry! But I still don’t remember anything, and no one can seem to tell me what has happened!

The lady from the home came, she was nice, well they have all been nice. She told me more about who I was and where I lived, how long I had lived there and what had happened to my wife.

My WIFE, memories came flooding back as did the tears and an almost uncontrollable sobbing. The nurses came around quite quickly and gave me another jab in my arm and I don’t remember anything else until now.

So now I know my history, I have a family, who are coming over to see me in a couple of days as they are working. And I have had a visit from the Doctor, she closed the curtains around me and sat down, she said a lot of things about what had happened in my head, I didn’t really understand any of it. She said she would come back again when my family was here and explain it to them and answer any questions anyone may have. I said thanks, and asked when I would get better, she looked at me and said ‘I wouldn’t get better’ and that I probably would get worse, but that I probably wouldn’t remember.

I asked what was to happen to me, she tried to explain that I would go back to the home and would be looked after. I would still be mobile so I could get around by myself but she though I would need constant attention, in that people would need to know where I was.

So that’s it I thought, I would be ending my days in a home, forgetting everything that has happened to me and just pottering around.

My son and daughter came to see me, well that is who they said they were. We talked and they seemed interested, they went away and talked to the doctor and nurses and another lady from the home.

They came back to me saying ‘ good news you can go back’, I thought to where, but I knew really, its just that I couldn’t remember anything about it.

I said thank you to them, they said they would continue coming each week when they could, I said thank you again. She had a bag with her with some clothes in it, she said they were mine. So they left me to get dressed.

I sat on the bed looking around and couldn’t really think of anything, and waited.

A nurse came in, smiled and pulled the curtains back, good to see you up and about she said, as she walked away.

My son and daughter came up to me and said they would be taking me back to the home now. I got up almost childlike and went over to the nurses counter to say thank you, a memory came flashing into my head of a lady holding a child’s hand saying always to say your please and thank you.

They wanted to put me into a wheelchair to take me outside, but I wouldn’t have any of that and strode off. It was quite a walk to where they parked their car but at least I didn’t have any suitcases to carry. We went to ‘the home,’ it looked nice, in its own grounds with a nice drive up to it. We got out and the lady who came to see me in hospital was there to welcome me home, ‘home’ that didn’t sound right.

Went to a room at the back, it overlooked a garden which looked nice, sat me down and said they would be back shortly.

I still don’t remember any of them, nor this room, nor the clothes I am dressed in, I felt another tear roll down my cheek.

They did come back, just to say they had to go, but they would be coming back with their children as soon as they could, I looked and smiled and said thank you.

The lady then came in with another man who said hello, he looked familiar, he said that he was my ‘mate’ and that he would look after me. I said thanks.

I looked around, and the tears rolled down.