Naps, Faces and Snores

Lunch is over, so I go upstairs to my den. I putter on the puter for a bit. Then, I go to my recliner for a rest.

I do this on most days. When a guy only sleeps for about 6 hours, give or take, he's entitled to a wee kip.

Very wee.

Anyway, I'm on my back in the LazyBoy. I begin to drift.

I guess I begin to drift off, for my mind sees the upper body of a large red-haired man. At the front his hair stands high, and he seems to be leaning over a railing of some sort. I am awake enough to remember, so I take note. A mental note.

I drift once more and see a tighter profile shot of a guy with stringy hair, and ratty chin beard, and glasses. He begins to turn his face leftward toward me, but he dissolves as I realize that I am seeing another face, so I never see this one full face-on.

Drifting again, I see a young lady with dark hair pulled fairly tight. She is pretty, but I am a little deeper into it, so she fades even quicker. Darn it.

I think I see another face, but I can't describe it, for I have gone deeper.

Or I am not gone because a snore soon brings me to the surface.

Then I fade until there is another snore.

This is repeated twice more.

I have been counting snores today, just as I counted faces, and that wakens me earlier than usual.

With all of the remembering and counting, I probably only dozed for 10 minutes today. Sometimes, it is longer — maybe 20 minutes. Seldom much longer. I probably spend about 30 minutes in my chair on a typical afternoon siesta. Today, it was probably a little less although I didn't time it. Sometimes I do time myself. Sometimes, I may be down for 40 minutes, but the nap itself is seldom more than 20 minutes. Often less, like today.

And as you can tell, it is not a deep slumber. But it seems to help anyway.

I enjoy seeing the faces, but I don't know where they come from. They are the faces of strangers. I have never seen them before. The three from today are a good number for me to remember. I made it a point to remember.

I once had perhaps a dozen or two dozen faces just flash through my head, like someone using flash cards, but that doesn't seem to happen anymore. They tend to be fewer now but a little more lingering. I can't freeze frame them for a better look, for they just dissolve. I wish I could see them closer and for longer because they interest me.

Trying to remember the faces and count the snores has awakened me, perhaps a little prematurely. Sometimes, I probably have 10 snores. I don't usually count, but it has seemed like a lot. This is my first time counting. I shouldn't try to do it anymore so I can sleep longer, but maybe I won't be able to help myself.

But this time I wanted to remember. So I could write it down: write it here, I mean. So you could know how weird I am.

I do not snore at night. Only in my afternoon nap. In my easy chair.

At night, I sleep on my side. I do not snore. I do not see faces. At least I don't think I do. When I do dream, however, my protagonist doesn't seem to be me exactly, but someone else. If it is me, I am young enough to not be bald. That was a long time ago.

This has not been a story. This is me and what I happens to me.

Let's all say, "weird," together.