Pipe down

My bathtub drain was clogged. I went to the supermarket and bought a bottle of Brand A to unclog it. The water went down, so I followed the directions and ran hot tap water to flush it. The water didn't go down the drain.

Back to the supermarket. They only have Brand B, as I had bought the last bottle of Brand A. The directions clearly say not to mix them for chemical reasons. So I head five blocks south to the drugstore. They, too, only have Brand B. Do I risk fumes? Uh, no.

So I come home. The water has receded. Problem solved, it seems.

Except I am who I am and I believe there's a reason. I refuse to entertain the notion of the clogged pipes metaphor. Too disconcerting. So I think and I realize the hour I spent searching for Brand A drain cleaner I would have been sitting in my apartment overthinking a meeting I have tomorrow. And so instead I went on a hunt that required me to walk briskly, breathe fresh air and decompress.

OK.