On a Dull Thursday Evening, I Noticed Tiny, Strange Particles Drifting in My Tap Water, Like Suspended Dust or Fibers

It was a dull Thursday evening in late spring, and I was in my small apartment kitchen, filling a glass with tap water after a long day.

That’s when I noticed it—tiny, strange particles drifting slowly in the clear water, like suspended dust or fibers.

I blinked, rubbed my eyes, and scooped the glass closer under the light.

There it …