So, I’m off for the next two days as I’m between assignments right now.  I’ve been fairly productive the last few days and over the weekend, doing all sorts of mundane household chores and cleaning up, since it’s been long overdue, to which I am quite pleased with.  This morning, after I did my usual jog around Zombieland and my typical array of lifts, sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups, I decided that since it’s hot as a witch’s tit these days and I have the spare time, to go visit the neighborhood’s pool.  It’s been a while, and the thought of taking a nice swim, to cool off and loosen up my muscles sounded like a great idea.

I get to the pool, and I arrive at the gate; I wave my keycard on the keypad to unlock the gate, when I realize that it’s not necessary; the gate is broken.  Not broken in the sense that the keypad isn’t working, but broken in the sense that the keypad is there, the keypad is registering my keycard, but it’s completely unnecessary, because the magnetic block is pried back and bent away just enough to where contact between magnetic locks is now impossible.  In other words, I’m paying association dues on broken equipment that clearly has gone ignored for quite some time due to the visible rust on the bolts, and the swimming pool is completely accessible to the entire world now.

And the entire world, or at least all of Bataria is capitalizing on this free pool concept.  All around poolside were littered cups and cans, and a few cigarette butts.  I found several squirt toys laying around poolside, and it’s very obvious that the HOA doesn’t send anyone to clean up around the place; but in all fairness, they shouldn’t have to, because the residents of Bataria really should know better, and that it’s really not that great of an idea to shit where you eat.

It’s not my responsibility, but I decided to make it my responsibility; at least for today.  I picked up the cans and cups of garbage that were left behind, and placed them into the trash receptacle that has obviously been ignored for quite some time as well.  And then I picked up the squirt guns and toys, and smashed them against the concrete, or snapped them in two across my knee before throwing them in the trash.  Crazy motherfuckers out there, best to not leave your shit laying around, I guess.

So with my poolside now a little bit cleaner, and a little more civilized, I was able to enjoy my morning swim just a little bit more, but seriously, there are some real downsides to living in Bataria sometimes that just won’t ever be fixed.