Day 16 – Tick Tock

posted by Momo Fali on November 16, 2011

The clock is ticking, but there is no sound. It’s not like the clock that stood in my grandmother’s living room, chiming the day away in fifteen minute increments. Tick-tock, ding-dong, ding-dong.

It’s a clock with glowing numbers that stares back at me from my husband’s nightstand, jumping minute by minute into the next hour and then into the next day. The red digits cut through the silence, loudly reminding me of the sleep I do not get.

The dog’s collar jingles from the hallway and she enters my room; her keen senses tell her I’m awake. Maybe a walk, she thinks. “Not yet” I whisper and pat her head.

I rise and tiptoe out of the bedroom and the young dog follows. I can hear my son snoring and see the glow of my daughter’s charging cell phone bouncing off of the overhead light. I walk slowly down the creaking steps and shuffle to the kitchen where I reach for the timer on the coffeepot. Click. I turn it on long before its timer is set to brew.

I stretch. I bend. I yawn. I feel the cold tile beneath my bare feet and I shiver until the chill has vanished. I lean on the counter and tap my fingers. I wait.

When the coffee is ready, I hold the warm mug in both hands and plop down on the couch. The dog curls up next to me and as she drifts off and dreams of chasing squirrels, I look up to see a green light shining from the cable box.

Tick-tock.

    Comments

  • Zak


    Dude. I know this all too well. I now sleep with earplugs and relaxing tea and a warm bath because I’m trying to not take the magic pill. But the magic pill works and it taunts me from the medicine cabinet.

    Tick tock is flipping right.

    • Momo Fali


      Oh, hon. This is WITH the magic pill.

  • Melisa


    Were you in my house last night? I feel you, sista.

  • Meriah


    I’m narcoleptic – the only time I’ve ever experienced insomnia was while pregnant and terribly anxious about the birth of my daughter (who I knew would be coming with an extra chromosome). It was horrible. I hope to never experience that again and I’m so sorry you are…(even with the magic pill?!)

  • meleah rebeccah


    Oh yes, I know this all too well. Insomnia is truly AWFUL. And never being fully asleep, or fully awake makes it very difficult to function.

    Let me know if you start hallucinating Tyler Durden!

  • Middle State/MomZombie


    Last night I treated myself to a little plastic cup of NyQuil for my almost-sorta cold. It was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in forever. Insomnia is my middle name.

  • Millicent


    I lack sleep, too. It’s awful. I feel like I drag through the days and I hate it.
    I have sleep apnea and can’t find anything that helps 🙁