I know that you are all probably bored of reading about Duck and Covers by now, and frankly, a lot of people here are tired of them too. In my last D&C post, I mentioned that they are quite shocking, but I didn't realize exactly how disconcerting they are until last night.
It was about 2:45 a.m. when I was jarred from deep sleep by the siren blaring and the megaphone in my ear "Duck and Cover...." I can't explain how it feels - but it's shocking. I bolted up in bed, looked around, tried to figure out where the heck I was and who was yelling at me, and then I got out of bed and plodded to the bathroom floor. Totally disoriented.
James seems to be impacted a bit more strongly than I am, and is clearly not only more disconcerted, but all his survival skills kick in to high gear. He is always worried that he has survival tools nearby in these duck and covers....like bottles of water (he can't really go longer than 30 minutes without water), first aid kit....and in the house - a blanket and pillow. I'm not totally sure why, because I've never heard of a D&C that lasts longer than 45 minutes and I've never been in one longer than 15...and seriously, I'm not going to go back to sleep in the bathroom, wake up and move back to bed again in that amount of time. Plus I'm a little too wired at that point to sleep.
Last night I noticed James had a blanket around his shoulders when we got to the bathroom, but I didn't pay much attention to it. I did wonder why it was just around his shoulders and we didn't spread it on the cold floor to sit on, but I was tired, and I don't talk when I'm tired. A few moments later the duck and cover ended and we were told it was safe to go back to bed.
As I walked into our room, I saw James standing on his side of the bed, looking confused and holding a sheet in his hand. I glanced next at the bed and saw that it was completely devoid of any type of covering. Did not compute. He looked confused, I felt confused and then I realized....James had taken the sheet, the blanket AND the comforter with him off the bed when he left for the bathroom. What neither of us could figure out was WHY. Why would he do this???
I was so tired and PMS'ing and irrational that I was suddenly furious that I couldn't get in to bed. The only thing I wanted was to get in bed....why. couldn't. I? (fist shaking at the heavens...why???) I simultaneously knew that I was being irrational, and that it would only take a few minutes to make the bed, so I tried to control it, but as we stood there making the bed together I kept asking him, "Why? Why would you do that?" And he kept trying to explain himself, with words like uh, and um, but of course he couldn't. So I (of course) asked more.
It was the most surreal, confusing experience yet of our short marriage. Today I thought about it and laughed out loud because it was so strange, so Iraq, and so "James". But last night...
It was about 2:45 a.m. when I was jarred from deep sleep by the siren blaring and the megaphone in my ear "Duck and Cover...." I can't explain how it feels - but it's shocking. I bolted up in bed, looked around, tried to figure out where the heck I was and who was yelling at me, and then I got out of bed and plodded to the bathroom floor. Totally disoriented.
James seems to be impacted a bit more strongly than I am, and is clearly not only more disconcerted, but all his survival skills kick in to high gear. He is always worried that he has survival tools nearby in these duck and covers....like bottles of water (he can't really go longer than 30 minutes without water), first aid kit....and in the house - a blanket and pillow. I'm not totally sure why, because I've never heard of a D&C that lasts longer than 45 minutes and I've never been in one longer than 15...and seriously, I'm not going to go back to sleep in the bathroom, wake up and move back to bed again in that amount of time. Plus I'm a little too wired at that point to sleep.
Last night I noticed James had a blanket around his shoulders when we got to the bathroom, but I didn't pay much attention to it. I did wonder why it was just around his shoulders and we didn't spread it on the cold floor to sit on, but I was tired, and I don't talk when I'm tired. A few moments later the duck and cover ended and we were told it was safe to go back to bed.
As I walked into our room, I saw James standing on his side of the bed, looking confused and holding a sheet in his hand. I glanced next at the bed and saw that it was completely devoid of any type of covering. Did not compute. He looked confused, I felt confused and then I realized....James had taken the sheet, the blanket AND the comforter with him off the bed when he left for the bathroom. What neither of us could figure out was WHY. Why would he do this???
I was so tired and PMS'ing and irrational that I was suddenly furious that I couldn't get in to bed. The only thing I wanted was to get in bed....why. couldn't. I? (fist shaking at the heavens...why???) I simultaneously knew that I was being irrational, and that it would only take a few minutes to make the bed, so I tried to control it, but as we stood there making the bed together I kept asking him, "Why? Why would you do that?" And he kept trying to explain himself, with words like uh, and um, but of course he couldn't. So I (of course) asked more.
It was the most surreal, confusing experience yet of our short marriage. Today I thought about it and laughed out loud because it was so strange, so Iraq, and so "James". But last night...
Yer funny Shauri. This story of you being excessively tired makes me think of almost exactly 12 months ago when we pulled that all-nighter for Gina. (there was a funny picture of you I have somewhere). And we thought at the time that the prospect of not finishing that was scary...- Jason Cash
ReplyDeletePoor confused James, with you asking why? Why do you sit on the toilet during a duck and cover--did he ask you that last time?
ReplyDeleteJason. Yes. That was also a fist-pumping, why-asking moment. Thank goodess you didn't come scream duck and cover in my face while i sat in my blanket wrapped, frozen coma.
ReplyDeleteI hear the guys are there this week. let's pray for no fist shaking. Strangely, i kind of miss those moments the most though. ;)
Shauri I can assure you there was plenty of fist shaking this week but all that is worth it in the end. And there is no one I'd rather be stuck in a room with for a week than our team
ReplyDeleteLaughing more, now tears are coming to my eyes.
ReplyDeleteChris....that's the spirit! Did you miss me on the 1am run to walmart though?? :)
ReplyDelete