Sleeping In

Not since imaginery creatures were crawling up giddy womens legs has a person jumped out of bed so quickly. The sudden dawn of recognition followed by a rush of blood, a constriction in the chest, a panic in the brain and the metaphorical equivilent of a stick of dynamite exploding beneath ones posterier. That's right - I slept in.

I, like most people, suffer from awake denial when it comes to grabbing those extra vital minutes in the morning. I trust in the alarm. If I were to look at the LED display on the digital clock across the room and see that I have only 5 minutes in bed before I have to get up I will just not enjoy the time at all. My mind will reset itself to 'going to bed mode' which means that a thousand silly thoughts will flash in my head and I will become restless. I may aswell spend the extra time in the shower rubbing warm water into my eyes.

This morning I was awoken by the sound of the council bin-lifting machines. A quick scan of memory revealed that I never hear these sounds because I've left the house by the time they arrive. This caused the eyes to open. Sunlight streaming in from under the curtains. Instinct reveals that this is not 7.30am on a cold November morning. I reach for my mobile phone. It's gentle backlight cascades a low glow in my face. I begin to get that feeling of being on a rollercoaster when its slowly moving up that 45 degree slope before charging down the opposite side. It showed the alarm sign and 08.43. Cue first paragraph.

I race to the bathroom. I shower as quickly as possible, literally grabbing the water and rubbing it into me like that scene in Dexter's Laboratory where he slows time. Jumping out arms flailing, using the 'dog technique' to lose excess water, I run a towel around me like I'm trying to get rid of ants that have crawled over me. No time to dry between the toes - athlete's foot be damned! I run into the bedroom and throw clothes on like I'm having an affair and my mistress' husband is coming up the drive-way. Sleep is now a distant memory, replaced by blind panic.

Alas I am saved from total lateness as Lou has the day off and offers me a lift into town. I make it into work by 09.15. Not bad at all. Plus I got an extra hour in bed.