Mutable Memories

My Dad was in a transferable job and as a result I changed many schools during my growing up years - 6 I think. And even today I remember them all - the class rooms, the corridors, the fields, library , the dining room and the food!
What I don’t remember are the people in those schools. At times it is very embarrassing especially in the days of the Facebook where people can reconnect with you. I keep trying to place the person and think up atleast one memory that I might share with that person. I have made major social gaffes - mistaken someone I hardly knew for a close friend and made conversation, thinking that the person was married to someone else I knew or calling the person by another name altogether.Sometimes I have even mistaken batchmates as my husband’s friends!
It is also very embarrassing when people remember details about me and I remember nothing.For instance my friends remember my parents, relatives and names of my siblings from decades ago. They even remember what movies we watched together or who we ragged or hit on.
At most of these times, my sister comes to my rescue. Amazingly, she remembers everything about my friends. I call her my Memory Keeper.
We think memories are for ever. But I am beginning to be aware that they are not and are terribly mutable.
Memories are strange things and as you grow older they behave even more strangely. Some memories sieve out through my brain and I have no recollection-of places, people, names and events. Some memories surface suddenly and surprise me coz I have not thought them forever. I did not even know that I knew those things - ever!
I am pretty sure I have edited and re-done many memories. May have also falsified some to make my self look better or to hide facts I don’t want to reveal.
There is the problem of corroborating those memories. Is my memory of an event correct or was there another story or angle to the story?Does anyone else also remember it? It hassles me when I remember something and I have no-one to cross-check that with.
This growing up is nasty business and lonely too. I fear the day when I won’t have anyone who shares my memories. And I won’t be able to corroborate my memories and know whether they are correct or incorrect. Or I might get afflicted with Alzheimer’s and lose all my memories.
I don’t want to be that lonely.