Once Bitten, Twice Shy

My psychology friend Chris was going down a list of conventional wisdoms about human emotions and asking whether or not I thought they were true. The only one I remember is "Once bitten, twice shy." Studies had supplied this one with a scientific background, and I believe it's true. To this day I feel uncomfortable leaving my stuff in a gym locker room without using a lock. During my Guppy swim lessons at the local YMCA in 4th grade, I didn't have much to leave in my locker except some clothes and my shoes. That didn't stop me from becoming the victim of one of the strangest thefts on record at the local Y. Someone stole the insoles out of my size-5 Nike Bo Jackson Cross Trainers. The shoes never fit quite right after that, but the bigger victim is my sense of well-being when leaving things in lockers. The climbing gym I go to now is the only place in the city where people leave their bikes and lockers unlocked, but you'll always be able to tell which bike is mine in the rack since it's the only one was a Kryptonite U-lock around the frame.