Michael, the Memory Man

There was a man – a long-stay patient – who was reputed to have a peculiar talent. If you would give him the name of any member of staff (past or present during his confinement), he was able to provide you with their car registration number plate. Or, vice-versa, if you gave him a number plate, he could tell you which member of staff owned the car.

Michael appeared to have no other advantages in terms of memory, although I’m pretty sure that this was never formally tested. He probably had a diagnosis of schizophrenia, but in those times people with eidetic memories, perhaps savants or those with autism or disorders along that spectrum were never really recognised as such. His behaviour would have been enough to earn him a place high on the hill where everything aspect of his daily life would confirm his need for incarceration.