Nothin’ but iTrouble

What is it about technology that we take it for granted until it doesn’t work, then we treat it like the evil it really is? Work is rolling along at the speed of success and accomplishment, then WHAM, BANG, KERPLUNK! The stupid program freezes or crashes. Suddenly you’re cursing its existence, never mind that it makes newspaper work so much easier (in some ways it’s more work, too) than it was in the days of hot type.

My iPod was the culprit today. Usually I wear my Nano (first generation oldie) for running; it’s small and easy to use. But I was inspired to listen to a particular playlist this morning and I needed to load it onto the Pod. I plugged the Nano in, deleted one playlist to make room for the new one, and dragged the substitute to the Rob’s iPod space in iTunes. Coolio, I was ready to go. Or so I thought.

When I went to set up the playlist at the start so all I’d have to do when I hit the sidewalk would be push Play, the playlist wasn’t there. What the hell? Back to the laptop. Repeat. Looks good. Playlist shows under Rob’s iPod. Click on it. No songs listed. Repeat. Ditto. What the hell?!

Fine! So I stripped the case off my iPod Touch and crammed it into my mp3 player armband case and headed out the door. But the iTrouble wasn’t over. The silly rotating screen thwarted my attempts to hit Play on the touchscreen so I had to take it off my arm to start the music. But wait, there’s more. In a bit of a funk last night I had been listening to some songs on repeat. I’d pick a tune and play it half a dozen times or so. Then another. Well, it was still on Repeat 1 when I set off on my run, so as I hit Academy Street near Knox College and “January” by The Usual ended, it started all over again. Drat! Stop, fix, move on.

Finally I was on track musically and settled in at a comfortable pace and continued my random route. Within a block a glint of shiny metal caught my eye in the gutter and I backpedaled to check it out. I knew instinctively it was a ring. I was at once disappointed and relieved to discover it was a child’s toy, the cheap kind from a gumball machine. I stuck it on my right pinky and continued. Half a block later I picked up a work glove – leather with orange nylon. The real prize came on the W.C. Jackson Bridge from Third to Fourth Street over the BNSF yards.

We’ll see how the shirt cleans up. It appears to have a couple of faded patches on the back, so it won’t likely see a night out on the town unless it’s under a jacket. Still, it’s a nice Aeropostale button-front  Henley. So how did it come to be balled up under the handrail on the western approach to the bridge? Here’s an idea:

It was a warm night for early June. Too warm for a long-sleeve shirt. The sun had set hours ago, the waning moon now climbed toward its zenith. But the air was still and the heat hadn’t dissipated. Sherry stripped off the Henley and slung it over her shoulder. He’d get a thrill seeing her standing at the door in her camisole. He didn’t know she was coming over – she liked to surprise him sometimes, keep him on his toes.

As it would happen, Jill was the one kept on her toes. She had just made the bridge when she heard it.

Woof! Woof! WOOF! No yipper, it was a big dog. Then she heard the skitter of its nails on pavement and the hah-hah-hah of panting as it raced to catch her. This bugger wasn’t chained!

Jill bolted. The approach was a significant grade, but her legs remembered their track heritage and surged uphill. Her arms pumped to drive her legs harder in hopes of outdistancing the dog in pursuit. The hanging Henley flew off her shoulder and landed three paces in her wake.

Whoooeeet! “Hey!”

The shrill whistle and hoarse shout stopped Bruiser in his tracks. But not Jill. She sprinted across the bridge and didn’t slow until she reached Mike’s front door two blocks beyond. He was indeed thrilled to see her in her sweat-soaked cami, out of breath and hair frazzled.

Dirty Sock stayed where it lay, out of
respect for its individuality. After all,
I don't know if it might be locomotin'
to the Holy City or someplace.

Today's Stats

Temp: 77 degrees F (82 at the end of the run)

Distance: 4.3 miles

Weekly Total: 8.8 miles

Treasure: 1 leather Boss work glove (right hand); 1 Aeropostale button-front girl’s Henley, blue, medium; 1 MasterCard debit card; 8 cans.

iPod Playlist (Mix for a friend)

January – The Usual

Detox Mansion – Warren Zevon

Short Skirt/LongJacket – Cake (Love this video!)

Reality – Newsboys (Funny song with meaning.)

Shame – The Avett Brothers

The New Love Song – Joshua James

Hang – Matchbox 20

Down to Earth – Peter Gabriel

The Man Who Couldn’tCry – Louden Wainwright III

Give it Time – Eric Lindell

Wednesday’s Stats (June 6)

Temp: 70 degrees F

Distance: 4.5 miles

Treasure: 1 black and white striped headband; 1 Camel cigarette pack; 5 cans.

iPod Playlist (KGHS mix, second half)

Wrapped Around YourFinger – The Police

Caught Up In You - .38 Special

Somebody’s Baby – Jackson Browne

More Than a Feeling – Boston

Time for Me to Fly – REO Speedwagon

Rosanna – Toto

Mr. Roboto – Styx

Owner of a Loney Heart – Yes

Hungry Like the Wolf – Duran Duran (This one's special, check it out.)

Tom Sawyer - Rush