Why didn't Kenobi remember the droids??

In ANH Kenobi says that he never remembered having any droids when he first met Luke R2 and 3P0.

But he obviously WAS very familiar with those droids, so was it ever stated why he didn't remember them in ANH?

I don't think he ever owned any droids.

But he clearly recognized R2 iirc.

Maybe he wanted to prevent Luke from finding about his father through them.

Ben did remember them. He just lied to Luke about it.

The R2 unit moved to Ben's side as if it were his faithful pet -- an image that was further reinforced by the old man stroking a hand over its domed head. "It's good to fly with you again, my old friend," the old man said so softly, Han wasn't sure he had heard him right.

-ANH: The Princess, The Scoundrel, and The Farm Boy

*Scene occurred during Luke's training aboard the Falcon in ANH.

Ben doesn't say that he does not remember R2, he just says that he doesn't remember owning R2, which is because he never owned him in the first place.

Yeah, and we all know how Kenobi likes his tricky phrasing.

Ben is a liar by omission, that's all there is to it.