Monday, November 23, 2009

Sleeping Dogs

"I thought you'd be mad if I let you sleep."

I look at her and think to myself, "You've got to be kidding me."

We're attending a weekend retreat. It's been one of those longer than long days. It means team meetings that seem to go late into the night. I don't know her well, and she obviously doesn't know me that well, either. Team members I've known for years would have let sleeping dogs me sleep. They know that a ten foot pole isn't long enough to wake me up with, once my head hits the pillow. Poor woman.

She looks at my face and wanders away, sitting next to someone who is cheerful and awake. I sit there in my grumpy headed state, and scowl. My scowl is as easy to read as a neon sign at night. I listen to the cacaphony of voices around me, 50 women, chipper and loud, and long for my warm bed. I tell one of the team leaders that I am going back to bed when the meeting starts and is mercifully short.

As I drift off to sleep I hear the woman without the ten foot pole, say to someone else, "That one, over there, she likes to sleep." I think something along the lines of you've got that right, except in more colourful language, and the next thing I know it's morning.

I wake up in a much more civil mood. Not rested, but better. No longer scowly. I go to the woman who woke me up and tell her I am sorry for being such a grump the night before. She looks at me and says, "You were grumpy?" Then she laughs and says, "Yes, you were."

5 comments:

Enchanted Oak said...

I'm grumpy too if I don't get enough rest. You're not alone. Thank God we can change our attitudes and not take them out on someone else.

Dianne said...

Honor sleep. We don't in America, we also don't honor vacations.

I am 1 month away from 50, had a mother who always took a short nap at 3:30, and am feeling like naps are as essential as eating, breathing, drinking.

Good one, Dianne

Jess Mistress of Mischief said...

Yup, that experience is familiar, from the woman's side. I'm (cough..duck) a morning person. I wake up chipper most days now. I didn't used to wake up chipper, I used to wake up in human death walk mode... It's nice to be a muppet in the morning, it would be nicer if my joy didn't annoy my husband so. :)

mile191 said...

Hey...early to bed, late to rise...makes a woman much kinder and easier to live with. It's the American way.....Have a nap. Glad you are feeling better today.

Unknown said...

To me, grumpy without sleep is normal, people with the preternatural ability to not sleep and somehow be chipper are vastly annoying. I need sleep, otherwise I am what people have referred to as "stabbity" LOL!

I don't need tons of sleep, but I need sleep!

May you feel well rested!
Love
Gabi