You tripped on the assembly stage in front of everyone. Two weeks later, nobody could tell you what month it happened.

Your memory of an embarrassing moment is long because it happened to you. Everyone in that room filed it under mildly interesting and went back to their own day within the hour. It is not that they are being kind about it; their attention was already spoken for. The replay in your head is a solo screening with one ticket sold.

When the loop starts up again, test it. Try to remember someone else’s stumble from last year, in detail, with the date. You will probably come up with almost nothing, and that blank is the same blank you occupy in their heads.