Early Morning Thoughts from Bed when the Power is Out


    It’s that early morning window when you’re not entirely sure if you’re dreaming or awake yet. Your mind drifts. You feel rested for the first time in a long time. You’re still trying to figure out things as you slip into consciousness. “What day is this? I have no clue. I don’t recall the last time I slept so well.” You also note that the house is quiet suddenly, really quiet. “Huh, I can’t hear the air conditioner or the radio I had on when I fell asleep last night.” 

    You hear your phone make a sound, and you realize that the power has gone out. You slowly open your eyes and see the ceiling fan is still moving, but slowing to a stop. “Huh, I wonder what caused the power to go out?” You think. You can’t hear any rain going on, there hasn’t been any thunder. “Maybe just a power surge, but that usually pops right back on and this has been off for a bit.” 

    If you’re anything like me, you have a brain that tends to take simple, small, everyday things and turn them into gigantic, end-stage boss levels from video games. “Well, if the power is out with no clear reasons, then the breaker must have overloaded. I’m sure sparks are flying out from it right now, and it’s just a matter of time before it sets my oily rag collection on fire. I should get up and call someone” is the train of thought my mind first went to. 

    That’s right, my first thought was “soon fire will consume all” and not the more logical “there must be some workers in the area working on a line.” Despite the fact that I assumed my basement was becoming a fire trap off of the old Universal Studios Tram Tour, I remained in bed. If a fire was breaking out, it was still too early to deal with it. I refuse to deal with household emergencies before my coffee (this is also what I want on my tombstone). 

    For some reason, I started to imagine the late Robert Stack narrating my life at this moment like an episode of “Unsolved Mysteries.” “This average idiot just laid there while his oily rag collection began to destroy all he knew and loved. But that’s not what would end his life, that would come as he got out of bed and went to make coffee. He spontaneously burst into flames.” This is what finally roused me from the bed, my brain fixated on why was every episode of “Unsolved Mysteries” about people suddenly bursting into flames? 

    As I sat up in bed, I heard things click back on around the house. I heard the A/C start up again, and I watched as my ceiling fan began to spin again. The power was back on, whatever it was was a short thing. I went into my kitchen to make coffee—and hopefully not burst into flames. Looking out my window I didn’t see any line workers. Must have been one of those power surges. 


    The power remained on at the house, but I did get to do everyone’s favorite task of going around and re-setting every electronic clock. This came with the reminder that I should really write down how to set the clock on my stove, I forget almost every time. Cup of coffee in hand I went into my basement to check the breaker box. It was fine, looking just as good as the day it was installed. But I did decide that it was time to ditch the oily rags. I took them to the trash, finished my coffee, and got on with my day. Crazy just how quickly one’s thoughts can go from zero to one hundred.

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