Calgary

The frozen pants: a Calgary mystery

There are enduring mysteries in this world. Are we alone in the universe? How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? Whose pants are frozen to the sidewalk on Bow Trail?

Standing sentry at the corner of Bow Trail and 37th Street, a bit of comic relief at the end of a cold snap

Stuck to the sidewalk, this pair of frozen khakis stand at the corner of Bow Trail and 37th Street S.W. (Terri Trembath/CBC)

There are enduring mysteries in this world. Are we alone in the universe? How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? Whose pants are frozen to the sidewalk on Bow Trail?

In the seemingly unending deep freeze that has settled over Calgary, a pair of khaki pants stand frozen in place at the intersection of Bow Trail and 37th Street S.W. as though someone jumped right out of them.

Doug Boland and Ethan Askey, out walking Finn the dog, speculated that the pants were frozen first, then moved to the location and frozen into the sidewalk with water. 

A fair guess. 

Rapture, aliens, extreme dryness

Other theories, the sole product of a certain CBC web writer, include rapture, aliens, or maybe the cold, dry air finally getting to be too much and simply evaporating the unfortunate wearer of the pants. 

The lone cloth sentry attracted plenty of eyeballs on Saturday as drivers passed by on the busy thoroughfare, happily ensconced in their heated vehicles — a bit of comic relief at the end of a long cold snap.

So while it's clear the answer to the question of angels on a pin is 42, and we're certainly not alone in the universe, the question of the pants remains as yet unanswered.

If you have a theory, let's hear it in the comments. If you know how the pants got where they are and why they're there, we'd like to hear that too.