Into the Darkness

For the second time in a month, I shuffled slowly through the late-evening heat after another long day, walked into my CHU hoping to cool off and check my online accounts, and had all of the power fail about three seconds after I hit the computer power button. Really takes the wind out of your sails.

This being the fourth time in threee months we've suffered this late night indignity (only the second one associated with me just walking in the door), I now have a drill to deal with this. After exhausting all known curses that might be heaped upon the electricity trolls responsible, I shut down the computer, grab the ever-handy flashlight, quickly switch to sleeping attire, put the earplugs into the iPod and lie down on the bed.

These are all meaningful, deliberate activities. The computer is rendered useless without AC power because the network card shuts down and kills Internet access. Before the screen goes dark I have to grab the flashlight, because we are talking about complete, utter, absolute darkness. Remember, I live in a metal container with a door. Have to quickly shed the long-sleeved uniform and go to shorts and t-shirt because it is still 105 degrees outside and the longer the power is out, the closer it gets to that inside. And the tunes go on because I just got out of work and need some diversion while I unwind from the day and hopefully drift off before it gets too hot.

This is sort of a dangerous time from a psychological standpoint. The music can take your mind places it shouldn't go when you're 7,000 miles from home. Make you think of places you'd prefer to be, people you'd prefer to be with, and things you'd rather be doing. It is, as I said, utterly dark. The heat rises steadily until you're soon lying in an expanding circle of your own sweat. And you're thinking to yourself, "what the hell was I thinking when I volunteered for this?"

Eventually the heat, the music, and the stillness conspire to pull you down into the early stages of sleep, all problems eased from your mind until, BAM, the power comes on and you resume cursing, this time at yourself, because even after three previous experiences you STILL haven't remembered to turn the light switch off before getting into bed. Rude awakenings. But because the metal box you live in is small, it cools off very quickly and soon enough all is well in your world again.