You all know of what I speak about. It drives us crazy in the mornings. Causes us to rummage under washing machines and in the backyard under the clothesline. It is a problem that has plagued us for years, but so far has revealed no solution.

Why, oh why, is there always a loose sock in the draw.

No matter how hard we try we eventually end up with a feet-warmer that is missing its better half. Usually, this results in the item being discarded to the depths of the underwear draw. Waiting. Hoping. Praying, for the return of its brother. We leave the stranded sock there for months, years even, in the vain hope that it will be reunited and made whole once more.

Where does this sock go? Is it really that hard to lose such a vital and distinct piece of clothing as the sock? Why do we only ever lose socks and not some other piece of clothing - like shirts or ties? It's always the sock. We are a sock negligent society, oblivious to the injustices directed at socks.

But, out of all of this, there is one thing that truely puzzles me. The socks are never found, yet for some reason we always come across socks (sometimes shoes on rare occassions) left stranded in parks, beaches, on the side of the road even. How does a sock make it from your bedroom to Highway 4? Something's going on, maybe there is a stockpile of odd socks with a combined value that will solve our current economic recession?

More answers are needed, and more research necessary.