2 Shades of Trouble

Its 10:00 am. I know this for a fact without looking at my watch or getting any alarm notification. The familiar tendrils of sleep tantalize my eyes. It promises to be a beautiful 2 hours with my eyes shut. I feel the pressure to shut my eyes for a second. I try to fight it. I fail woefully. Each time for the last two weeks, I have failed. Today will be no exception, I already know that but I try nonetheless.

I stand up and move over to my colleagues table under the pretext of asking for a file. What exactly did we conclude on the issue? She looks at me blankly at first and later it transforms to irritation. You took the minutes of meeting yourself and have the file. why are you asking me? she says. I ask for her forgiveness and tell her that I just needed another voice to my thoughts. to be sure I captured the right thing. Alas, it wasn't me acting stupidly. It was the sleep speaking through my brain. I couldn't do anything with that potent force.

Source

I went back to my seat in a groggy state, feeling so sorry for myself. It was like the tendrils had morphed into humongous 3 strand rope that couldn't be cut with any thing. This was the 2nd stage. At this point  I knew it was only a mater of time before I  started acting like a drunk. The last time I had tried to fight it, I popped gum in my mouth and started chewing furiously. Funny, It didn't stop the sleep train at all. I was asleep with my mouth still chewing in a matter of seconds. I jolted awake when my head lurched forward of its own accord. 

I hurriedly tried to sort out my table. How one could feel so sleepy with so much work to do was beyond my comprehension. I didn't remember what I was doing anymore. I stood up, took my phone with me and walked to the restroom. That was were I found succor from the unyielding arms of sleep. I hurriedly  chose a stall, careful to see that it was clean and dry (No kidding) and cleaned up the seat cover properly and sat. I turned off my phone notification and said a quick prayer to God not to let my boss catch me. That was the last thing ...

The next thing I knew was a gradual realization that I was in the restroom. My first conscious thought was of water and God-knows-what-else passing furiously down the plastic pipe as someone relieved herself and the constant drip-drip-drip of a tap not properly turned off...the sound of the main door slamming shut as a couple of ladies made their way into the place jolted me. I remembered where I was... 

Without looking at the watch again, I knew exactly what the time was. The slumber spirit had departed to look for another victim. I checked my wrist watch and smiled. It was 12:00 noon. I knew the routine all too well. All I had to do was wait a bit for the chattering ladies to leave the mirror then make my way back to my office and act like nothing had happened.

I successfully went to my office, turned on my sleeping computer and behold, the first thing I saw in my inbox  was an email from my boss at 10:02 am saying I was expected at a meeting to explain the new project  I was working on as team lead.

SHIT!!!