My Already Frustrating Morning

On Saturday mornings I get out of bed at 8:30 am and brush my teeth. I pull my hair up into a pony tail, put on my exercise clothes, and head out the door looking forward to my Pilates class. This morning was no different.

The exercise pants that I wear every time I go to the Hart to work out are capri length, stretchy black pants. I have worn them every time. 

I parked the car and walked into the Hart, up the stairs, and to the locker room. I approached the counter.

"Hi, can I get a medium shirt please?" I asked very kindly.

The girl looked at me and gave kind of a I-feel-so-bad-for-you smile."No. I'm sorry," she said. "We're going to have to ask you to go home and change. President Clark has asked us not to wear capris or shorts on campus." 

I got confused, looked at the paper she was pointing to, and said, "But I have worn these pants every time I have come to work out and no one has ever said anything before. They're on the poster of approved exercise clothes and I drove here specifically to work out. Is there any way you can give me a shirt? I'll take a warning or something, but my class starts in two minutes."

She kind of laughed. "No, I'm sorry. But you have to go home and change and then come back."

I got angry. "I don't think you understand, I live 10 minutes away and my class is starting now. If I go home, change, come back, get a shirt, change back into my current apparel, and get to my class there will only be 10 minutes left of it."

My plea fell on deaf ears. The only reply I got was, "You have to go home and change before you can get clothing."

I stared at her, amazed at her inability to compromise with me considering I had never heard of this "rule that has been in place for a year now". And I've been going to the Hart at least once a week in the Spring, and four times a week this semester. 

If the scene had played out the way I imagined it, I would have told her how "Ridiculous it is that you can't understand my situation and give me a break just this once. Plus! It's not like I chose to wear these pants so that after I'm done exercising I can walk all around campus breaking the Honor Code. And in all honesty, I really don't think that President Clark would object to this. I drove here. From my home. Ten minutes away from campus. I'm not going to wear jeans and a t-shirt just so that I can change into my exercise clothes right when I get here! That is ridiculous! You are one of those people that makes everyone think that BYU-I is a crazy, strict, awful school. Have a great day."

But instead, I just turned around and walked out. Walked back down the stairs, out the door, and to my car. My Saturday morning was ruined, and it was only 9:04 am.