The Wake Up Call

The alarm went off at five in the morning because I had promised to see my husband off as he left Texas to drive to our home in Wyoming.

I had no idea what the sound was at first. The room was pitch black and I was sound asleep and suddenly a shrill noise filled the room. In my half asleep mind the trilling was coming from the middle of the bed so I started smacking it with my eyes still shut.

"It's the alarm!" came Tom's garbled speech.

I kept wacking the middle of the bed. My mind just wasn't computing.

"It's the ALARM!" Tom tried again, sitting straight up. The alarm was on my side of the bed since there was a plug nearby. He reached over me and switched it off.

I paused in abusing the bed as Tom turned on the lamp.

Ack light! There should not be light at five in the morning. He got up and headed for the shower. I don't know how he can immediately get out of bed at five in the morning.

I stayed in bed until Tom finished with the shower. He came out to dress and looked at me funny.

"Why do you have one eye opened and one eye closed?"

Huh?

Oh.

I forced the other eye open.

"Are you coming?" Tom asked as he headed for the bedroom door.

No.

This is what I wanted to say. I wanted to curl up and go back to sleep. But I made myself sit up and shuffle over to Tom.

"You're walking like you have a stick up your--" Tom started.

He stopped when he saw the expression on my face. I imagine it looked crazed. I don't handle early mornings well.

I plopped myself on the couch as Tom gathered the last of his things.

"Remember don't use the upstairs toilet," I reminded him. My voice came out all scratchy and startled me. I sounded like an old lady who smoked a pack of cigarettes each day.

"I know," Tom said, rolling his eyes. I know he likes to act annoyed when I tell him things but the truth is, if I don't he'll forget.

A few minutes later Tom said he had everything and he was leaving.

I didn't move from the couch.

I had sort of gone into a daze.

"Hello?" Tom said, waving his hand in front of my face.

I jumped.

Tom pulled me up and I shuffled behind him outside.

"Geez. It's even hot at five in the morning," I grumbled.

Is it ever cold in Texas?

Then I started to get nervous that a burglar would jump out a kidnap me. See, we live on a military base and there is a sense of security there. When I'm off the base I'm a tad nervous and assume that each person I encounter is going to wack me with a baseball bat.

"Have a safe drive," I said to Tom. I swear I saw the bush move and I tensed up. Who was behind it? Was it a robber? An alien?

It turned out it was just a light wind.

Well. Still. It's always good to be aware.

I waved as Tom backed out and then rushed back inside.

Of course it took me awhile to get back to sleep.

When I woke up the next morning I called Tom to make sure he was still alive.

He was.

He called throughout the day.

I'm in San Angelo...New Mexico....about to hit the Colorado border...

He called about an hour ago.

He was home.

"Is everything..okay?" I asked. I always worry that our house will blow up when we leave.

"It looks fine," Tom said.

"Remember to not--" I began.

"Yes. Don't use the upstairs toilet."

"Wait! Ew! There's a dead mouse on the floor!" Tom suddenly shouted.

WHAT?

"WHAT?" I screamed.

"Just kidding," Tom said and laughed.

Remind me to smack him when I see him on Thursday.