ABANDONED. Sci Fi Short Story: In a world where people can delete painful memories, the main character has erased all memory of a certain person. Spoilers ahead.

[Dana]

I read this story between 1996 and 1999, I think it was in a small magazine in my English class, but I could be wrong about that. All I can remember is that in the world of the story, it is common practice to delete any unwanted or painful memories. But the memories are stored somewhere, and people can access their own deleted memories if they ever decide they want to remember. The main character (a girl I think), decides to access her erased memories and realizes that she's deleted an entire person from her life. I think the person she has erased all memory of is a brother or sister who died tragically, but I'm not sure.

I'm sorry to be so vague on the details. I've searched the internet for hours and I searched this group before posting. I really appreciate any suggestions anyone has!

[MJ]

Isn't there a Jim Carry(?), Kate <-- of the Titanic, movie about something like that? Eternal Sunshine of a mind.... sorry... my memories not clear on it cause I hate Jim Carry. But if the movie was based on a story, it should be in the credits maybe?

Pretty sure the lead character was broken hearted and had their memory wiped of the ex... and there might have been something about the memories coming back somehow? Sounds similar.

[MJ]

Winslet... Kate Winslet, if it was her in the movie I was thinking about.

[Aerulan]

MJ wrote: "Winslet... Kate Winslet, if it was her in the movie I was thinking about."

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is the movie you're thinking of
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338013/

[Dana]

Thanks for your responses! The plot of the movie sounds similar--I haven't seen it as I am not a Jim Carrey fan either. But I think in the story, the main character deleted memories of a person who had died instead of a relationship that ended.

[Aerulan]

Here's one that came up when I was searching.
The Memory Eater

[Dana]

Aerulan wrote: "Here's one that came up when I was searching.
The Memory Eater"

Thanks, this book looks interesting! I'll check it out!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Dana, are you still looking for this or did you find it?

[Andy]

"Hearts in Eyes Do Not Shine" by John Kessel has memory erasure used in much the same way as in "Eternal Sunshine" https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... - but I don't think recovery of the erased memories was possible in that story.

[Courtney]

Everyone We've Been

[Kris]

No response, moving to Abandoned folder.

Dana (OP) last posted in the group in March 2018.