I got lost yesterday...again.

As I mentioned, I am joining a gym that is a mere block away from my new apartment. I went there yesterday to check the place out and get a feel for it. I was running really behind schedule because I spent the morning with the family I will be nannying for. I ran home after I left their place and grabbed all my workout gear, then headed down Addison to Fitness Formula Club.

Thus begins my afternoon of ridiculous events that would only happen to me.

I hopped off the bus at Addison and Halsted, two hours late for my appointment with the membership coordinator, and headed south on Halsted. With my huge Vera Bradley bad in tow, I walked as fast as my freakishly short legs could carry me. I made it about 5 blocks before it hit me…I should have been there by now.

Now, let me give you some perspective. I live on Waveland Ave., about a mile and a half from my new apartment and gym…which both also are on Waveland. Waveland is north of Addison. I know this because I walk south to get to the Addison bus or L every day. So why, then, did I walk south on Addison to get to Waveland? I have no idea.

So, I turned around booked it the 7 blocks back up to Waveland. Not thinking, I took a left…again the wrong way. Good thing, I only made it one block this time before turning around.

By the time I made it to the gym, I was already sweating like a crazy person…and I was two-and-a-half hours late.

The guy I met with, Greg, was a good sport about it and showed me around the facility. As part of my trial, I got a free day at the club to test things out and see how everything felt. So, I left Greg and headed up to the locker room to get changed.

I made it into my sweats, t-shirt and socks before realizing…oops! I forgot my running shoes. My flip-flops were just not going to cut it, although now that I think about it, I ran about a mile in those puppies getting to the gym, so maybe I underestimated them.

Good thing I brought my swimsuit. Swimming happens to be one of my favorite activities anyway, so I wasn’t too upset to move it up in the itinerary. I got changed again, this time ready to hit the pool for some laps.

Well, laps are a lot easier with goggles. Which…shocker…I forgot.

I was already in my suit, so I headed to the pool any way. Luckily for me, no one was in there. I paddled around for about 30 minutes, looking like a total fool to whoever was watching the cameras aimed over the pool. I’m sure it was entertaining if nothing else. Then I spent a few minutes in the hot tub, thinking about how lame I can be when I forget things.

I was really hoping that after only 40 minutes of ‘working out,’ Greg wouldn’t be at the desk when I got down there. Then I would be the girl who was not only really late, but the girl who was given a whole free day to try things out and only used a kick board in the pool.

Well, he was down there. He looked a little surprised to see me so soon, but I just brushed it off and thanked him for his help.

As I headed out of the gym, I plugged my earbuds in and headed down Waveland toward home. The Cubs were playing, so the path took me through some crowds at the back of the stadium. About the time I hit Wrigley, my iPod died.

I rolled my eyes because it was kind of the perfect way to end my afternoon fiasco. In reality, though, it turned out to offer something a little better than a musical walk home.

Waveland is tree-lined from one end to the other, and yesterday happened to have a perfect summer evening. The sky was blue and twilight was just setting in. A light breeze, the baby brother of Chicago’s famous wind, rustled the leaves and set a pitch for the birds.

As the shouts from the stadium disappeared behind me, a different pair of hawkers offered lemonade for 25 cents a cup. My dad taught me always to carry extra quarters for situations like this, probably because he witnessed many successes and failures on his own street corner when my sister and I tried to pass our concoctions off on neighbors, as well.

I bought two cups…probably erasing all the paddling I’d done in the pool, but I figured it was only right since there were two kids. They poured my lemonade and sent me on my way, a cup in each hand.

I continued on my walk and sipped my lemonade, and again thought about how lucky I am to be in Chicago, making my next move. Making my own life. Isn’t that a great thing? I don’t mean just for me…but in general?

The baseball, the lemonade, a perfect summer night and starting a whole new life in one of the worlds’ greatest cities…pretty All American. And really, really great.