Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Travel Arrangements


Grumpy


Grumpy is night owl and freelance writer Lee Bemrose (leebemrose@hotmail.com). He thinks it's never too late to check the travel arrangements whilst humming classic Monty Python songs like “Sit on my face and tell me that you love me...”



Being a late night person, I usually go to bed after The Dreaded One. I usually open the door and wait to make sure the coast is clear; sometimes she snores and it's usually easier to just hit the other room or the couch. Tonight, the coast is indeed clear. I climb into bed as gently and quietly as possible. All is quiet. I realise I really should have gone to bed earlier as it's only four and a half hours until I have to get up again. This is usually the last conscious thought I have before drifting to sleep. Will I ever learn? I doubt it.


My breathing stops. I squint into the darkness to hear better... and yes. Damnit. I've been ambushed. She has waited until I am almost asleep before starting to snore. It's the tiniest, snuffliest snore. It's actually quite cute, but I know it has the potential to grow into something quite monstrous. It might flicker out of its own accord like a candle in the wind, or it could turn into a raging firestorm. I have no idea why I decided to use fire as a snoring metaphor, but there you go. There it is.


The snuffle grows. I bounce about a bit under the covers. This breaks the snuffle, but not for long. It returns like the bad memory of a really stupid metaphor. I caress The Dreaded One's forearm and this also stops the snore, but also, too, as well, not for long. The snore increases in volume and as I focus all my mind powers on not getting irritated, I start to feel irritated. I know it's a lost cause. I now have less than four hours before my alarm goes off, so I gently climb out of bed and head to the living room feeling mopey and tired. I stretch out on my couch and enjoy the silence. I feel I'll nod off quite quickly and think that four hours is not such a bad sleep.


Suddenly, I don't know what the hell happens. One second I am completely asleep, the next I have been hit on the head by something. Have I been punched? Am I being smothered? I can't breathe, which would indicate that some form of smotherage is taking place.


Mmmmmppphmm!” I declare hysterically. “Mmmnnnthhhhppphhh?” I enquire hysterically.


The thing jumps off my head and I realise with bewilderment that The Dreaded One just totally sat on my head.


Oh Grumpy, honey. I'm sorry. I didn't mean... did I sit on your head?”


Totally. You totally sat on my head. Why did you do that?”


I'm in full-blown sulky, hard-done-by mode now. I've gone to great lengths to not disturb her sleep, and she returns the favour by sitting on my head.


What's going on?” I demand, indulging in a little justified grumpiness. “What are you doing?”


I'm so sorry... I was just checking on the travel arrangements...” She points to the corner of the room where I suppose the travel arrangements are supposed to be. Confusion starts to spread across her face, although it's not a patch on the confusion I was wracked by less than two minutes ago.


You what? Travel arrangements?” I fondle my nose. It doesn't feel broken.


Yeah, I just wanted to make sure the travel...” She is squinting into the corner.


Ah. The travel arrangements. I see. You're not quite awake yet, are you?”


I'm not... sure.”


She looks adorable. I wrap my arms around her and she snuggles in. “Come on, lets give this sleep thing another go.”


I ooze charm and chivalry, but I am thinking, no one sits on my head and gets away with it - I am sooo going to get her for this.

8 comments:

Y said...

I find a swift punch to the kidneys usually works.

Lee Bemrose said...

Oh. Okay. Not quite what I was expecting from you, Y, but okay. I'll let you know how that goes.

Anonymous said...

awww, you're a softy really....

Bradlee Pittstreetmall said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lee Bemrose said...

Yes, Isabelle, soft enough to sit on.

Grace McCall said...

Fantastic story written in scribe. Adored it, cut it out and stored it. That good.

Lee Bemrose said...

Thank you Grace. Glad you enjoyed, and really, thank you for leaving this comment. I really do appreciate that.

Anonymous said...

...a funny softy to boot