Today at the gym, I saw my water bottle sitting innocently on the bench after my set. Same brand, same color, same dent in the cap, my dehydrated brain didn’t even question it. I grabbed it, twisted the lid, and chugged like I’d just crossed the Sahara. Mid-swallow, I made direct, soul-piercing eye contact with a guy across from me… holding my actual bottle. Time froze. I realized, with horror, that the “mine” in my hands belonged entirely to him. He didn’t yell or snatch it back; he just watched, smirking like he was observing a wildlife documentary. My mind spiraled: Did I just ingest electrolytes, backwash, or a science project worth of bacteria? I handed it back, mumbled an apology that came out as a cough, and left before my set was even done. My dignity? Still on that bench.
TL;DR: Thought I was drinking from my water bottle, but it belonged to a stranger. He didn’t stop me. Now I’m left with shame, regret, and possibly a bacterial colony.