A Year of Stories (Collection Two)

Never Enough Time

7:04 AM

Ever notice that there is never enough time when you really need it?

Take today for instance, it's only 7AM, and I already feel like it's too late to get anything meaningful done.

Fortunately, feelings only count on television and in therapy, so I'm going to give it the old college try anyway.

I roll out of bed a handful of seconds before my alarm completely ruins my morning. I give the screen a swipe, scrolling through a half dozen menus until the room fills with the promise of silence.

There were days, not so long ago, that I used to lay in this bed for hours just trying to figure out where the noise my alarm makes comes from. On the phone, it's called "Rise and Shine," but it sounds more like what you would get if you ran your grandmother's best china set through an industrial wood chipper.

Why the company thought that this was any way to wake someone up, is anyone's guess.

7:15 AM

My girlfriend Susan is downstairs. She would be my wife Susan, had I not gotten fired from my job a year back.

I guess it doesn't much matter now.

What does matter is the color of her eyes, they're hazel with flecks of emerald – eyes the shade of tree bark and forest floors.

They're the eyes I fell in love with.

I kiss her on the cheek and she tussles my hair, pointing to a plate of slightly burnt eggs.

My favorite.

"Morning Suz."

"Morning. You're up early today."

"Not early enough."

"And that doesn't sound like you at all. David, are you dying?"

"No, nothing like that, I've just decided to be an adult for once, aren't you proud of me?"

"I'm always proud of you darling, even when you're acting like a big weirdo. But seriously, what are you doing awake before Noon?"

"I've got an interview lined up. Speaking of which, do you mind if I borrow the car?"

"You don't have to ask me, I'm working from home this week, you know that."

"I know, just making conversation."

"Well, we'll have plenty of time for 'conversation' later tonight. Right now, you need to eat your breakfast, and I need to get to work."