Forgetting where you parked your car

Somehow or other, this has never happened to me, but it would seem that this problem is rather widespread. I have seen members of my own family (okay, it was my mother) walk out of a shopping mall, civic arena, or large building of some kind and stop upon reaching the edge of the parking lot, pausing for a moment. Then come the words: "Where did I park the car?" As a child, I could always tug at my mother's arm and point, replying, "It's over there, Mom."

How does this happen? I have a few theories:

• Sometimes people don't pay much attention to what they are doing, where they are going, or what is happening in the world around them.
• Some people are easily disoriented.
• Some people have an innate inability to keep track of their personal belongings. These are the same people who can never remember where they left their car keys either.
• Sometimes people get distracted by environmental stimuli (traffic, passing ambulances, random gunfire, etc.) during the walk from their car, and forget to make a mental note of where they parked.
• Some people, sadly, are just stupid.

You have seen these people... maybe you are one of them! I have seen everything from reflective orange ribbons to condoms stuck on top of car antennas. (One time I even saw a severed Barbie head impaled upon an aerial, complete with frizzled blonde hair.)

The all time favorite, however, has to be the day-glo ping pong ball. From what I understand, these are actually sold as automotive accessories - specifically for this purpose. Which explains why I can go by any of the 10 billion Wal-Mart stores in the United States and gaze out upon a sea of happy yellow ping-pong balls gently swaying in the breeze. Which must lead the forgetful driver to remark upon exiting the store, stricken with mild panic:

"Now which ball is mine?"