Welcome to Atlanta… Bring Your Own Water

Here’s the challenge: Find a place to live in a city you’ve never been to before.  You have two days.

I’ve been in that place, and made a few mistakes along the way.  In my 28 years, I’ve moved 13 times.  Sometimes across the country, but often across town.  I may not be the Obi Wan of moving, but I’m pretty close.  Now, I’m using all those miles to help a former co-worker. 

He’s headed to Atlanta next month under the 2-day scenario.  I tried to steer him in the right direction, to save him a few mistakes.  I forgot one big thing: bring your own water.

The day after our detailed discussion of Atlanta’s layout, I woke up and went to take a shower.  No water.  It wasn’t the first time.  Almost any given day in Atlanta, there is a water main break somewhere.   Sometimes it’s just a trickle .   Sometimes, it’s a gushing river.  Three times in the last year, it means no water for me.

It means running around frantically, dumping every source of water into a big pot (tea kettle from last night, Britta pitcher from the fridge, ice cubes from the freezer, half empty water glass on the nightstand), heating it up a little (to melt the ice), and shampooing my hair in said pot. 

Now, I keep a big jug of emergency water in the fridge. 

There are many reasons for the water issue: old pipes, fast growth, constant construction.  But trust me, when you’re washing your hair  in a pot of water, you’re less concerned about the why and more concerned with where you put that jug of emergency water. 

Maybe my welcome to Atlanta gift should be a plastic jug.  At least I know he’ll use it.