SLICE OF LIFE #27-

12:05 a.m.
I have been asleep for almost two hours when the house phone rings.
I jump out of bed, flick on the light,
and head down the hall to the family room.
My heart is pounding.
Has something happened to one of the boys?
Is someone in the hospital? Or in jail?
Is my mom okay?
The phone continues to ring, until just before I locate it,
stuck down the side of the couch.
And then it stops ringing.
I hardly ever use this phone and can't remember how to locate the previous caller.
I call Son #1, my night owl.
He answers right away.
"Did you call?" I say.
"No," he says adamantly. "Why would I call this late?"
"I don't know," I say, still trying to shake the sleep from my head.
"But the phone just rang, and I thought it was you."
"Well it wasn't. Good night."
And he hangs up on me for the second time in one day.

Then I call Son #2.
"Did you just call?" I say.
"Yeah," he says.
"I wanted to remind you to put money in my account tomorrow."
"I put money in your account every Thursday."
"I know. But I wanted to  make sure you remembered."
"Have I ever forgotten?"
"No. But I need gas."
"Do you know what time it is?"
"Ummm. Yeah. It's late."
"It is. It's 12:06. Do you know what I was doing?"
"Sleeping?"
"Yeah. Sleeping."
"Oh, sorry."
"I have to get up in about three hours."
"Sorry."
"If you want to call me,
call early in the morning,
not late at night. Or send a text."
"I don't like to get up in the morning.
And I wanted to make sure you remembered."
"I always remember.
And I don't like to be wakened late at night."
"OK. Sorry."
"Good night. I love you."

I lay in bed for an hour, finally going back to sleep about 1:30.
And so today I facilitated five grade level meetings,
did recess duty,
helped interview a new social worker,
and managed the concession stand at the school music program
on approximately 2.5 hours sleep.

And now I am going to bed…