Lost and Found

I lost my favorite Club Fat Ass Wear shirt.  For two days I've been completely stumped as to where and how and when - and of course miffed, as the bag that I lost also contained my favorite MEC pants, a fleece sweater and a brand new pair of wool running socks.

But let me start from the beginning.  I rode my bike to work on Tuesday.  Given that the weather is finally getting a bit more unstable and the fact that I already got soaked twice on my bike commute I started packing a change of clothes. So far so good.  On my way home from work I deviated from my usual route to run some errands.  First stop was on Lonsdale near 20th.  I locked my bike up, took my valuables (leaving the bag with the clothes in my pannier's) and dashed into two stores.  Came back, stowed bought items (a bag with bread) into pannier's.  Clothes bag is now on top of the bread bag.  Push my bike a few blocks up Lonsdale and lock it in front of the MacDonald fast food outlet (what do you call these places...it's NOT a restaurant) and dash into the New Apple Farm for produce, again taking my valuables along, but leaving the clothes and the bread in the pannier's.  There is a pan handler sitting beside the bike rack and lots of pedestrians on the sidewalk...but I generally trust people - besides, who wants my sweaty Club Fat Ass shirt and stinky socks.  After buying produce I have to reload the pannier's to make everything fit.  I distinctly remember placing the bread and clothes bag on the sidewalk.  No recollection of packing everything, but also no recollection of leaving stuff on the sidewalk.  I am eager to get home and cut down to Chesterfield, up to 23rd and down to Westview.

When I arrive home all three of my charges great me with different needs and wants and before I even unpack my bike I go inside to sort things out for them.  Back to unpack my bike with EJPowderhound helping me to lug stuff up.  Later that night I want to change from my shorts into the before mentioned MEC pants... but can't find the clothes bag.  Hm.  I turn the house and garage upside down, ask all the little and big Jackson.  No luck.  I went over my commute back multiple times, but just can't figure out what happened to my clothes.  Option A: somebody swiped them out of my pannier's. Option B: I forgot them on the sidewalk. Option C: they fell out of the pannier's on the way home.  Can't visualize any of this.

Fast forward to today.  I figured I better retrace my steps and ask at the stores on Lonsdale if anybody turned in my clothes.  On the way out I took the scenic route, as I swung by my son's school to deliver forgotten math homework.  To my dismay, New Apple Farm was still closed, but MacDonald next door was open and bustling.  I have never eaten at MacDonald's and don't even like to set foot in there...but hey we are talking about my favorite shirt.  I suffer through the long line up and hope none of my friends walk by and see me.  Scan the seated customers and promptly discover Rune who is hoovering down some fatty items to replace calories lost on Mt. Hood. Busted!  Anyway, I tell the nice girl behind the counter my dilemma...figuring if they have the CFA shirt I can figure out how to explain the funky name then.  No luck. Same at Seven Seas next door and New Apple Farm, which just opened.  Argh.  I decide to follow the route I took by bike on Tuesday in the faint hope that the bag did in fact fall out of the pannier's...No luck on Chesterfield, 23rd and Westview...but then, cutting into the little trail crossing Mosquito Creek Park (about 1 block away from my home), there is a bag hanging in a tree.  YES.  I hardly can believe it.  All my clothes are in there.  I whoop and holler all the way home.