I Don't Think Things Through

I had my evening planned out so simply. My movie night got postponed, which was just fine since it meant I got to eat the chip dip I'd brought to work with me for it. So I got off work around 7 with a list of things to do:

1) Stop by the store for things like contact solution and shaving cream, maybe stamps and envelopes like an adult

2) Catch bus to shoe store

3) Buy white shoes needed for marching band/parades the day after tomorrow

4) Go home, drop off things, pick up things

5) Go over to my brother's to give him things from my visit home, fix his pants, and enjoy a movie

Step one, check. Even though it did take me 15 minutes to find the contact solution.

Step two...

Step two?

Hello?

No. It never happened. I waited for 40 minutes before giving up because I realized I got off work two hours later than usual and things close at 9. I shall give you an approximation of my night.

8:15pm. Begin walking north to shoe store. Realize soon after I left my bus token on the bench.

9:00pm. Realize the building I am headed to is not a shoe store, but an adult store.

9:01pm. Decide not to go into the novelty shop.

9:02pm. Find coupon for $5 off on ground for said novelty shop. Reconsider.

9:03pm. Decide not to go into the novelty shop. But keep coupon, just in case.

9:05pm. Change list and decide to head to Brother's and try to hitch a ride to Walmart. Head to bus stop for home.

9:15pm. Realize busses do not run after nine. Change list and postpone Brother until tomorrow.

9:20pm. Get directions to Walmart and start walking.

10:23pm. Spot Walmart sign in distance, behind the street sign for Hope Ave. Become more grateful than any human should for Walmart's existence and immediate proximity.

10:32pm. Get sidetracked by office supplies. Pick out a notebook that is rather unnecessary in the immediate future and hold onto it for the rest of the night.

10:44pm. Have shoe choice narrowed down to two options. Become indecisive and unable to remember what proper arch support is supposed to feel like.

11:06pm. Decide on a pair of white shoes. Dread the walk home.

11:07pm. Cast about fervently for an idea that will mean no walk home.

11:17pm. Wheel away my newly picked out bike.

11:28pm. Stand in line with responsible purchases like a heavy duty bike lock, bike light, and even batteries for it. Irresponsibly forego the helmet until payday.

11:50pm. Finish paying for my purchases. Arrange all the purchases from the day in my backpack and ride new bike home!

12:37pm. Arrive home, weary but accomplished, in a roundabout way. Sit on the couch and don't move for a bit.

1:02am. Eat the last of the chip dip, and a few mini chocolate cupcakes. Begin writing, but mostly checking facebook and other entertaining sites.

2:11am. Reach this point in the post where I decide to stop this schedule...

Seriously though, I bought a bike! This was quite out of character for me. I spent half an hour looking at cheap shoes and ten minutes looking at expensive bikes. I saw one for an alright price and went, "Well this one's nice. Maybe these over here? ...Nah, I'm cool with this one." And that was it. I've been planning on buying a bike, but I probably would have looked a smidge cheaper than that and waited weeks and weeks and had all sorts of things come up. Somehow, I feel like I'll be totally fine with this bike.

Of course, I kind of flipped out the entire ride home. My internal monologue, which honestly was fairly audible tonight, went a little something like this...

"...I just bought a bike. I just bought a bike? ...No big deal. I'm just riding a bike. Cool. Riding a bike. Oh! Wow, corners are still a little shaky - cause, you know, the whole bike thing. No big deal. Holy snap I bought a bike! Sprinklers? Not a problem tonight because I'm riding a bike."

Seriously. The entire. Way. Home.

At some point, trying to transition out of singing Yellow Submarine (yeah, I don't know either) I ended up with this quiet, rhythmic, singsongy chant of "I bought a bike, I bought a bike, I bought a bike, I bought a bike" over a beat in my head until I realized a couple sitting in the grass turned to look at the lunatic making all the noise. Who was me.

But I made it home alright, I have new shoes to break in that so far are quite comfortable considering I've been on my feet the entire day, and now I have a shiny new bike to take me places. I didn't get half the things done I meant to...

But hey, look! A bike.

This picture is PG17 cause it's flashing you.