She goes so still I think I’ve scared her. “You remembered my name,” she says quietly.

I chuckle and point to her shirt. “You’re wearing a name tag.”

“Oh, right,” she says, and I feel a twinge because I think I’ve disappointed her. “I guess the name tag was a good idea. So how does this hypnotize garden work?”

I smile. “A hydroponic garden grows plants in a water-based nutrient solution. I come down here to check the water temperature, prune, and mist the plants.”

She nods. “Cool. So how come you can work down here and remember what to do and stuff?” I stiffen, and when I don’t say anything right away, she takes a step toward me and says in a loud voice, like she thinks I haven’t heard her, “You know, because of your short-memory thing and how you can’t ever remember my name.”

Heat prickles my cheeks. It’s not that I’m embarrassed by my condition—well, I mean, of course I can be, especially at this moment when a sweet kid is calling into question my ability to do such a simple task.

“Oof, sorry,” she says. “Was that a”—she curls her fingers into air quotes—“rude question? Ms. Kiko says that sometimes I don’t think before I talk, you know?” Maree kicks at the floor. “Sorry if I hurt your feelings and stuff.”

I don’t like having my memory deficits on full display for anyone, but something about this girl’s humbleness puts me at ease, and I find myself comfortably moving into teacher mode. “It’s good to ask questions, Maree. That’s how we learn, but thanks for asking anyway.” I wink. “I’m not offended, just surprised.”

“’Cause you can’t remember?” she says.

I shake my head; the girl is persistent, a bit like a dog with a bone. “Because it’s an intuitive question. I helped get these gardens started when I was a teacher here.”

Her eyes widen. “You did?”

I don’t add that the reason we were able to get the original equipment in the first place was after a raid on a resident who was growing marijuana in his apartment and who was given a onetime pass if—and only if—he donated the gardening equipment to the kids. “Partly. But it all happened before my accident, and most of those memories I still have.” I make a face. “I think.”

At that, Maree laughs so hard it comes out as a howl. “You think but you don’t really know ’cause you can’t remember if you remember. That’s so funny!” She grabs her sides, gulping for air. “And really confusing!”