Early yesterday evening, I went for a run. It was a long run considering the hot, sunny, humid, windy weather so I set part of my route along White Rock Trail north of the lake because there are water fountains on the trail, and I didn’t want to lug around a water bottle (this was going to be tough enough). So a few miles in, I hit the trail and I could see the fountain in the distance, but as I approached (though the trail was dense with users) the fountain looked forebodingly dry, and, sure enough, the fountain is not functional. (I know in the winter, they are sometimes turned off because of freezing, but I think that’s officially over now.) I ran another mile and a half, where there is another fountain, and, again, no water. At that point, I kicked the fountain, and grumbled the rest of the sweat-soaked way home.

But that wasn’t even the most frustrating part — this morning I called the Dallas Parks Department to ask about the fountains. I was transferred four times in all. I asked three different people about the fountain, and received no answer, before I was transferred to “irrigation” where I got only a busy signal. It’s weird because along the part of the trail in question is a sign that invites "trail improvement suggestions" by calling a certain number (I didn’t get that number but I assume it is one of the numbers I to which I was transferred) which implies that someone at the Parks Department cares. I just can’t get him/her on the phone.

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