I still haven’t found what I’m looking for…
It’s been a strange couple of days. There are some things I’ve been seeing or not seeing lately that have made the U2 song pop into my head often.
I’m trying to figure it out. Am I forgetful/blind because I’m getting old or is it because I’m a man? I’ve heard anecdotally that men can’t find anything and are always asking women where stuff is. (Maybe women just move stuff to keep us on our toes?)
Let me give a few examples. I make my lovely bride’s coffee almost every morning. (Yeah, I’m a peach. I won’t argue with you.) The other day, once the coffee was done percolating, I went in search of her coffee carafe. (She drinks about forty-five cups in the morning, so her carafe is a necessity. And she is absolutely in heaven when I bring the coffee to her.) Anyway, I couldn’t find it. Heading back upstairs, I asked her where it was. She said it was right by the sink where she left it the day before. I went back and looked once more. There it was, on the left side of the sink, not on the right side, where I expected it. It was there though not exactly where I was looking for it. How I didn’t see it, I don’t know.
Here’s another example. We went out for some delicious flat bread pizza and beer the other night. One of our favorite places is a brewery which is located right next door to a pizza place. The stone baked pizza is thin, crispy and delicious but I digress. You order your pizza (pepperoni, of course) on one side. They give you a placard with a number and bring it over to the brewery side when it’s ready. After ordering a cold beverage, we sat for a bit. I headed over to order our pizza. Pulling out my credit card to pay, it was gone. I panicked a bit. I tried to think back to how I used it the day before. Nothing came to me. Should I call the bank? Cancel our credit card? My mind went wild. Being the nerd I am, I pulled out my phone and added a reminder to look for my credit card when we got home. Luckily, I had my debit card so I was able to pay for the pizza. Heading back over to the brewery side, I went to order another cold beverage and then it hit me. I had given my card to the bartender just thirty short minutes ago. I smacked my forehead and told my lovely bride the story. The panic lifted.
My last example involved a recent trip to the gym. It can be busy and as I like a certain treadmill, I put some stuff there before someone grabs it first. It’s cold outside so I have to take off my jacket, mittens and change my shoes before I start. I pulled out my ear pods and got ready to listen to one of my favorite groups on Spotify. Searching inside my gym bag, I couldn’t find my phone. Did I leave it at home? Or was it in my other jacket? I hate losing things. I was about to head back home to see if I left it there. Then I looked up. My phone was right there on the treadmill. I had set it there when I first came in to save it. (I never said I was too bright.)
Is it a guy thing? Old age? I don’t know. What do the men out there think about this? Probably they’re not thinking too much about it all. Maybe they’re too busy looking for something they misplaced.
I’m afraid to ask the women because of course, they’re thinking “Why do we women have to find everything for you?”
I don’t know the answer.
What else could I do? I had to laugh it off. At least I remembered to do that.