Tuesday 19 December 2006

Big Grin



When I travel on the train to work, I step into my little cocoon. My world of books and sleep. An occasion to catch up on sleep and thoughts before I get off at my stop and enter into the real world of work. The train is a place where I am a nonentity; nobody knows me (well, except for chance encounters) and I can simply escape into my own little world for a time.

Sometimes, as I have frequently mentioned, I nod off on the train. Perfect. I never go to bed early enough anyway. What better opportunity to catch up on sleep while travelling to and from work?

Every so often, when I fall asleep, my mouth drops open slightly. We all do it. It occurs when you fall asleep whilst in an upright position. It’s the uncomplicated law of gravity that Sir Isaac Newton himself ascertained. Just substitute that apple with my drooping chin, and voilà ! Gravity explained!

If I attach this picture of gravity in my post above left, will you think I’m clever?

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Anyway, there I was one evening after a lengthy, arduous day at work, sitting on the train. My head began to loll a little to one side. My hands began to feel weak, so I put my book away. Indeed, the hands are usually the first signs that I’m feeling drowsy. It begins to feel like too much of a hardship to continue to hold the book up, my hands are feeble and they want to relax. My eyes get weary. My eyelids droop. I begin to relax even more. And before you know, you’re asleep.

You stay in blissful sleep until you wake up, gather your things and get off the train. And that’s all you know of it.


Except, I forget that two of my colleagues often take the same train as me.

There is no justification for forgetting. From time to time we appear at the station at the same time after work and travel part of the way home together.

So, once I had put my book away, leaned my head back and started to sleep, that was it, I was gone.

The next day at work, one of my colleagues came laughing into the office and said to me,

what were you thinking last night?”

Pardon? Erm….[slightly embarrassed]…what do you mean?” I stammered. I didn't think I was going to like where this was going.

On the train last night. I was going to come and take a seat with you but I saw you were asleep. Your head was back and you had this HUGE grin on your face while you were sleeping. [does an impression of my huge grin]”

Oh my god”

it was very funny, I thought ‘she must be having some very nice thoughts'

He has managed to pass this slightly embarrassing story around to a few people now, to general hilarity.
I should try and be more careful about who is around me before launching into ‘anonymous train commuter’ mode shouldn’t I?


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think you would of boosted your clevererness even more if you posted a picture of the difference between an apple and your jaw :D haha

haha, what was you thinking? Do you remember?

I think Id of been more embarrassed had a fallen asleep with teh book open in front of me. I always laugh when I see people asleep with open books. Dont know why?

Anonymous said...

You can always use the 'scarf technique' or indeed the name Hijab or ħijāb (حجاب) is the Arabic term for "cover" (noun), based on the root حجب meaning "to veil, to cover (verb), to screen, to shelter" Therefore allowing thoughts and smiles while on a train.[edit - surely some mistake here] Gravity, where is they sting?

MommyHeadache said...

I don't think it's embarassing to fall asleep on a train as long as you don't dribble.

James said...

You're a train sleeper, too? :-D

I find these very helpful when I do it ;-) Another tip is: use a folded scarf as a pillow.