The Ballad of the Lost Water Bottle

So, I can't sleep…it's been happening a lot lately.  I just have too much left over energy at the end of the day.  I could say it's because it is too cold out to do anything more than get from home to school and vice versa.  I could say it's because I finally have a job that doesn't require extreme physical exertion all day long.  I could say it is because I have just had too many days off…but it's probably a combination of all of those.

In an attempt to burn off some excess energy, I tried going jogging.  Even with the extra layer of super-thermal leggings and tops, it is so hard to breathe the freezing air that I can't stay out long.  (Just so you don't think I am a total lazy-ass wuss, the last few times I have gone out for a jog it has been in the low 20Fs.)  Just to point out how wonderful my thermals are: once they are on and I'm moving around the track, I actually break a sweat…but I can't take the icy-cold air freezing me from the inside out.

Anyway, if you remember in "Cab Rides and Konglish" I had gone through quite a bit of effort to get a new filtering water bottle so I don't have to keep making trash…or recycling.  I mean, in all honestly, I probably went through way more effort that was necessary for a water bottle but there you go.  I don't think I mentioned it, but in order to get the bottle sent to my mail forwarding address for free I ended up having to purchase 2 bottles…this will be important later.

So, the other day I made another noble attempt at jogging.  I take my spiffy new (well, not so new anymore) water bottle with me.  I get to the track and get ready to do my thing and sit the bottle down on a park bench.  I've never had problems with people taking my things…and the park is usually not crowded when I get there.  Couple of old people walking or some kids playing basketball or soccer, but never too many people for me to worry about hiding my things.  So, I take off around the track and a couple of rounds later I need water.  I get back to the bench.  MY. BOTTLE. IS. GONE!   So, I look around the bench thinking that it probably just fell off.

No.

It is gone.  I'm pretty sure the little old lady who picks up trash probably thought I left it and threw it away, but IT WAS MY BOTTLE!

Now, normally, I wouldn't get so worked up about this…it's just a bottle…but, damn, it took so much effort to get the thing here in the first place.  I guess from now on I will only take a disposable bottle to the park with me.

So, now it's a good thing I have a spare.