Bengay not included

Today was one of the "knock you on your butt" variety. I'm still rubbing my tail bone.

I returned Saturday from Big Sky country (although it could have been renamed "Big Smoke" country with a forest fire 15 miles away.) I knew it was going to be a stretch to get everything done that needs doing before my parents arrive on Wednesday, btu all you can do is work as best you can and forget the rest. First on my agenda was looking at rental houses for my impending move to San Luis. It's hard enough trying to go into an empty apartment and see potential in the dark, furniture-less, lifeless living room, but I also have to compete for housing with Cal Poly students and Daddy's Money. Never attempt moving into a college town a week after fall classes start. It should only be executed by a trained professional....monkey, that is.

So yeah...I went to the first house. The lady there likes me, but she is trying to pressure me into taking the house two weeks before I want or need it. I'm not sure I'm biting. The second place I saw from the road, so I retrieved the key 15 minutes away, then went to have a look. Cute, but so small we ladies would require bunk beds to fit. Here's where the whole thing gets a little dicey. I locked the door after checking it all out, put the key in my pocket, then stopped by one more rental sign to check things out. I get back to the property management place, reach in pocket to pull out the key and get...air. And pocket lint. But no key. I scrounged through my car three times, but still no key. I went back to the places I visited (again, 15 minutes away,) no dice.

Now, I don't know what kind tricks the universe likes to play on you, but I think I'm a magnet for them. I mean, come on, if I had used the key, set it down somewhere at home, forgot to return it, then whoops, it's gone. But no, I looked, I locked, I put the key back where I kept it, and drove back to the starting point. And it's gone.

Please tell me I'm not alone in weird occurrences. Surely there's a phenomenon that explains why things like this always happen to me.