I woke up today at 11:15 p.m. for the first time in my life. My new schedule of working overnight is beginning to set in. There's been many a time where I stare in disbelief at the alarm clock in my room but it's usually because it says something like 6:45 a.m. or 10 a.m. But not 11:15 p.m.
The transformation to becoming a vampire is almost complete for me. I start to cringe at sunlight, go grocery shopping at 3:30 a.m. and try to call people before I go to sleep in the morning. Now I just have to develop a taste for the blood of young, beautiful, Victorian women.
My vocabulary changes a bit as 'late,' 'early,' 'morning,' and 'night' cease to hold any real meaning and wither away like the some truly effective simile that can't come to mind at 3:49 a.m. I begin to truly understand existentialism since all that is real is the immediate atmosphere around me and the last two or three hours since I woke up.
An all-night Starbucks becomes my outlet to feeling like I'm having some human interaction after the rest of the Chicago goes to bed. Even though I sit in a corner, and speak only a few words the couple of hours I'm here. "I'll have a tall coffee." "Yeah, leave some room." "Okay, I can move while you clean this section of the store." "No, thanks, I don't know how to play chess." "No, I can't give you money to get into the Vietnam Vet's shelter because the rum on your breath tells me not to. Was that Malibu or Captain Morgan that you just had?"
The Starbucks is the best option to keeping my schedule since I already know what it takes to win at Elimidate and how I can make thousands of dollars by buying and rehabbing old homes. Late night television can't occupy the restless mind that is used to interacting with people and being stimulated by human conversation.
And since I know of the no great independent coffee house that stays open all night, Starbucks will have to do.
And hopefully sometime while I'm here, I'll have one of those moments when the coffee kicks in; when my minds seems to clear up; when I can suddenly see the bigger picture of what's happening in my life. I understand why I feel like God has been disappearing little by little from my life. I see what sucks about my job and what is truly to be cherished and held on to like a true gift from the Provider. Why human interaction and true fellowship is so necessary and as nourishing as an all-natural, vitamin-packed slushie from some colorfully decorated juice store chain.
Now if only I could get the baristas to change the Muzak playing over the store's stereo so I don't have to listen to every single song Norah Jones ever sang.
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6 comments:
Ah yes; I have worked the all-night shift before. Of course, it was more ad hoc than a regular thing. So night was still night, and day was still day. It's interesting that advertisements at 3am take on a more up-front and solacious tone than they do in the day-time. Sorry to hear about this inversion in your life. So what do you do on your 'days' off? Still sleep when the sun is up and purchase items when the moon arises?
Days off are tough. I try to keep the same schedule but I'm quickly getting tired of hanging out with me, myself and I. I usually bum around and just do whatever to try to stay awake.
I'm highly thinking of not staying up the whole time and perhaps sleeping like a normal person come 5 or 6 a.m.
Perhaps someday I'll come to admire sunlight again and find a non-vampirous job.
You know, the YMCA is always open. Maybe you could start a poetry morning there or something. Just make sure to bring plenty of Malibu (mango, of course).
This too, shall pass.
If you're looking for a job in publich education (Deerfield or Highland Park High Schools) I may be able to pass on Job Opening Memos to you, if you're interested.
Sure. I'm open for anything that pays more than the poverty-level pittance I receive now. I've never done much related to education but perhaps I could be a "career counselor" or warn the kids about the dangers of city living and dealing with police.
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