iPods, you have failed me.

I fly with three iPods. God, I am a prick.

But there, tucked away in my haute, green, birthday manbag, down by my feet, I keep an iPod, nano, and shuffle. I need all of them, truly. First, both Harper and I may want to listen to music on the flight (iPod, nano). Second, we both may want to use one while exercising upon our arrival (nano, shuffle). Third, I mean, it is my beat. And finally, I am a prick.

I like listening to music in mass transit situations, as it allows me to not speak to people and mask my indifferent contempt with plausible obliviousness. Thus, I came back from the airport yesterday with a manbag full of iPods.

This afternoon, when I headed to South Park, I glanced in my bag and saw two of them -- the full size iPod and the nano--stowed in their neat little pockets. Harper had the shuffle at the gym. I was happy. And late; I hopped in a cab so as not to be tardy to a 3 PM meeting.

After it ended, I walked down third street, on my way to the N Judah. I was getting on at one of the first stops on the line (the second, actually) and I knew I'd score a seat. I had new copies of Newsweek and Wired tucked in the outside pocket of my manbag. I was looking forward to listening to Islands on my way home. It was going to be a great commute.

And as I pulled my iPod out of the bag, I saw that the safety was off -- the hold switch undone. Shit! Before I even hit the play button, I knew it wouldn't power up. And it didn't. It had played, instead, all day on the airplane, tucked in my bag.

So I reached in my bag with a little smirk, thinking, well at least I have a backup. And also thinking, I'm a total prick. And when I pulled out the little black iPod nano that I bought from Apple one night when I was drunk, I found nothing more than an empty case.  I then remembered I had taken it out to go running with this morning, and left it sitting on the dock. I was devastated.

On the way home, I bought a freshly-baked pepper and asiago baguette.

Islands - Dont Call Me Whitney, Bobby