I Was the One Erased

I've had a terrible memory since I was a child. I can never seem to remember anything. But my older brother, Fred Zimmer, is the pride of the family. He gets excellent grades and is handsome, too. Mom always says, "Don't feel pressured. We love you both the same." Dad often comforts me, too. "Josh, forgetting things means you won't have a lot of worries. All I want is for you to be happy." I've always believed them without question. After I graduate, I secretly take my birth certificate and apply for public housing to help ease the financial strain at home. After entering my information, the clerk frowns and looks up at me. "Kid, something's not right with these records." I freeze. "What's wrong?" "According to the records, Fred Zimmer is the only child officially registered to these parents." In that instant, I feel my whole body go numb. "That can't be right. Could the system have made a mistake?" The clerk checks again for a long time before finally looking at me helplessly. "Your parents are registered as someone else here." I don't know how I make it out of the building. I can't believe I've spent more than 20 years as their son, only to find out that they've never officially recognized me as one. I don't want this family anymore.