Water, Water Everywhere, and Not a Drop to Drink

The title is a line from Samuel Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" in which men aboard a ship in the middle of the ocean have no food or drinking water. They are surrounded by salt water, hence the famous line.

All that to say this: I was caught in a thunderstorm while attempting a rather long jog this morning.

My hair-brain scheme was to park my car across from Mugshot's, run to the Sanderson and lift weights, then run back. This isn't really an attempt at being physically fit, rather it's one of the small ways I'm contributing to an eco-friendly environment. My thought was that if I don't drive all the way to the Sanderson, I'll save on gas, thus I'll save the world.

There was not a cloud in the sky when I started my journey. I ran for about one block down Main Street before I was winded and then I walked the rest of the way- so much for my "jog there and back" idea. When it was time to leave the Sanderson (I only had enough time allotted to jog back and get ready for work) the sky was a dark grey and ominous lightning was crackling in the distance. So naturally, I said to myself, "Alright girl, the race is on!" And started my race against Mother Nature.

She won of course. And not because I had enough time to run back to the car. Nay... sadly I just can't run very far anymore. My first walking break was at the Hump and there were many a walking breaks from that point on for me to catch my breath. I made it past Bin 612 when the rain really started coming down, so I stood under a patch of crepe mertles. Two scary men in what I like to call a"Rape Van" pulled up and offered me a ride, but I declined. Better to be cold and wet under some crepe mertles than in the back of a rape van, I alway say.

When the crepe mertles weren't enough, I took shelter under the awning of a nearby apartment. I was very thirsty and very tired. As the rain let up, I darted out from under the awning and started the dash back to the car. This Dash took approximately an hour, as I would get tired of sprinting every 50 feet or so and would have to locate a new rain shelter. If you or anyone you know every needs a rain shelter on University Drive/Main Street, I would like to point out that the old Starkville Daily News building offers the best awning in the case of a thunderstorm. It has a very deep entryway which is great in case the wind changes directions and the rain starts whipping you in the face.

I did finally make it back to my car, and yes, I had mascara running down my face from church yesterday, yes, I smelled like a wet dog, and yes, I looked even worse.