Early to Bed, Early to Rise

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

When I was a kid I once went to bed at 6p.m. and started the next day at 3a.m. That was a high for me. I got to wake up leisurely to the tune of Tom and Jerry cartoons. I was able to get ready at a pace I liked. And then just sit there and wait for time to go to school. I told a friend, Lee, about my discovery and my plans to do this every night from then on.

He said, "I do that." Of course, he lived on a farm. Needless to say, he didn't think much of my idea. As it turns out that plan fell through anyway, the very next night. God never intended me to be a rooster.

It's so eatly and I am awake. Donna had gotten up around four. I guess this stirred me. I heard her in the front of the house. I forgot she had gotten up and sat up like a nervous dog. I wanted to know who was in my house. I looked beside me and she wasn't there. I said, "Where are you?" She said, "in here getting a drink." I said, "Oh."

At this hour I wasn't exactly in my right mind. I wasn't imagining the typical intruder. Instead, I imagined it was the maintenance man. This is my brand of nightmare.

We sat up for a few minutes talking. I yammered on about friends and enemies. I have friends who'll defend my enemies- and that's okay I guess. I don't cherish the "privilege" of having qualms with someone, but I could stand to be more forgiving. Who couldn't? I guess what bothers me about their defense of my "enemy" is that I think their positive experience with that person should be equal or greater to my negative experience. I've never found this to be the case. Thus, it makes me feel like my disregard for the person is, in their eyes, as shallow as their limited experience with that person. I don't expect friends to side with me blindly on everything that should come up. But when a friend always insists on taking the role of devil's advocate in this scenario I am left to feel largely misunderstood.

By the time I got to this conclusion Donna was asleep again. I rested my head and was ready to return to sleep but then I sneezed. I had to get up to blow my nose and was then too awake to go back to sleep. So, I ended up here. I've written for an hour and am no tireder, but am no longer keen on sitting in this uncomfortable orange office chair.

I guess I'll go and continue my conversation with Donna. But don't worry, I won't wake her.