Under the Influence

I don't drink alcohol. I never have. And I mean never. There were many factors that played into my abstinence, but now at 48 I have no desire to drink and so I don't. Without any wrangling on my part, most of my friends don't drink either. Some will have an occasional glass of wine, but others have chosen sobriety because of past encounters or just, like me, decided not to drink.

So when I take medications they hit me hard. Like right now. I took a Tylenol PM because Ann's cold has seeped into my throat and bit into my eyes -- both scratchy and dry -- and so to sleep soundly (in an attempt to get some rest and recovery), I popped the blue little pill.

Every once in awhile the pill wires me. I lie in bed feel as if I am 3 feet higher than my platform bed, unable to sleep and spinning nervously. Generally though, that doesn't happen. I crash, deep into something soft and weighted. Even though the bottle claims that the pill only lasts 4 hours, I'm able to get 10 hours of hard sleep out of it.

I avoid taking the pills though, as it can be a groggy morning not very condusive to teaching 19 ten-year olds. And at times in my life, I needed the pill just to find some bit of sleep. I don't want to go back there so now I limit myself -- only when sick or when I have been unable to fall asleep.

It's early, but under the influence I think I shall wander off to the blue soft sleep of one oval pill.