We all have that one persistent memory that sticks with us. I’m not talking about a big memory like the day your grandfather passed away or the day you lost your childhood dog.

No, I’m talking about those weird ‘nothing-to-see here’ memories that persist even though they appear too random to matter.

I have one of those memories. It was just an ordinary day in high school on the afternoon before school let out for the summer.

Sophomore year. I took my lunch outside and sat on the slope just outside the cafeteria. Minutes later, a flock of cheerleaders tumbled out of the lunchroom doors, laughing and flipping their hair around. They sat on the slope above me. Of course they didn’t notice me. I was one of the peripherals. A non-entity. Not even a blip on their supergirl radar.

One of the girls carried a radio. The Doobie Brothers sweet vocals belted out Takin’ it to the Streets. The girls knew all the words and sang in perfect harmony, rocking back-and-f…