I hate magic

 I was too tired last night to practice so I didn't. 

I woke up in time to pack 10 things to add to the 8 I'd packed last night, and headed out. No problem with the post office and there were no FedEx packages in this load (on purpose). 

I made my rounds of the usual places to find packing stuff and other things on a Friday night, and got back here. I looked up the hours for H Mart and Sprouts and they were open until 10 so I had plenty of time. Also it might be rainy tomorrow. 

So I headed out again for an H Mart and Sprouts shopping trip. Since I planned to buy more d-mannose and cranberry extract as well as macadamia nuts, I took out the $30 I had saved for temple dues and put that in my wallet. I clearly remember folding the money and putting it next to the money I already had in my wallet, as I always do. 

I rode over to H Mart, locked the bike, and walked over to Sprouts. They had lots of choices for d-mannitol and cranberry extract and it turned out that the most "bang for the buck" was some powder combining both things so I got that. I also got my macadamia nuts, a bit over a pound because I had almost $100 on me, so no money worries. I even treated myself to a package of "Finlandia" fancy Swiss cheese. Why not? 

I got to the checkout and it was $45 or so, no problem. But the $69 I had was in my wallet but the $30 was just ... gone. I checked my pockets, every crevice in my wallet, etc. I even puzzled over it as I walked out of the complex, checking in the bag, and even doubled back thinking that the somewhat greasy old bills may have slipped out when I pulled out the main wad and fell into the counter or the floor. The guys (checker and bagger) hadn't seen it either. 

I said to them that this won't be the first time I've done magic, when you have magic capabilities you can make things appear and I often use this skill in my shop but it's hard to control and I make things disappear too. There are TV shows and movies about people gaining magic capabilities but in reality is sucks. That I have to use it in my work but only because it's necessary and in general, I hate magic. And the money's no biggie, don't worry about it. 

I walked back to H Mart, contemplating how, when I was little, I was puzzled by the TV show "Bewitched" and why the lady in it was always trying to avoid using her magic skills. Now, I can understand. And, the reason you don't see much magic is that is really kind of fucks with people's perception of reality and of their own sanity, and anyone having magic capabilities and really getting a handle on them, probably bugs out of this rather mundane reality tout de suite and moves on to better places. Fuck magic. 

I got a can of chicory coffee and a package of crawfish at H Mart and loaded those onto the bike and rode on back. Now it can rain all it likes tomorrow and I can just stay in. Maybe finish reading my latest J.G. Ballard book. 

I got back here and ... there was the $30, sitting here on my desk. I never put money on my desk because it's too easy to get it lost in papers or something. But there it was. Stupid fucking magic.