The Barefoot Lunatic

image via https://www.cagle.com/tag/barefoot/

I left my apartment the other night just before 8:00 pm wearing shorts, a t-shirt, my Five Fingers shoes, and a jacket. In my pockets I had my student ID and keys and I held my water bottle and the banana I was eating. I arrived at the gym after a few minutes of walking and began my workout.

Sweaty and tired, I picked up my belongings and headed home. I chose to carry my jacket instead of wear it because, while it was nearly freezing outside, I had just worked out and was plenty warm. I went into my apartment and immediately took off my shoes. Then I realized I was missing my student ID. I checked around my room but soon realized I must have dropped it on my walk home.

I walked out into the cold, barefoot and in the shorts and t-shirt I had just worn to work out. Retracing my steps toward the gym, I kept my gaze on the ground, looking for my card. I walked down the stairs. Nothing. I got to the sidewalk where cars were passing by. Still no card. I crossed the street and was more than halfway to the gym when I saw my card on the ground.

As I picked it up and trotted back to my apartment, freezing all the way, the thought crossed my mind of how weird I must look. It's not every day drivers and passerby get to see a barefoot college student appropriately dressed for a summer day walking along staring intently at the ground on a nearly freezing January evening!