Tired Eyes
Driving along the freeway, very late at night, far enough from any city that the only other light comes from the headlights of the occasional oncoming motorist.
Start feeling drowsy; eyes are particularly tired, and regular "blinks" begin to involve noticeable delays before the eyelids come back up again.
Despite the ego being in denial ( "No, I'm OK, I can handle this" ), the superego asserts its rationality ( "This is really dangerous, you need to stop the car" ).
Step on the brake, but the car doesn't seem to slow nearly as much as it should -- no wonder, that's the clutch, idiot.
Feet on both pedals now, slowing nicely, but the eyes have drifted shut again. Open them NOW, moron.
Left eye won't open, make do with just the right one for now. Everything black except for a red glow far to the right.
What is that?
Oh.
It's the numbers that my bedside clock project on the ceiling. The reason my left eye won't open is that it's pressed firmly against the pillow. I'm lying in bed, on my left side. That drowsy sensation was because I was actually asleep, dreaming I was driving down the freeway.
The boundary between asleep and awake suddenly feels very blurry.
Like my tired eyes.
Start feeling drowsy; eyes are particularly tired, and regular "blinks" begin to involve noticeable delays before the eyelids come back up again.
Despite the ego being in denial ( "No, I'm OK, I can handle this" ), the superego asserts its rationality ( "This is really dangerous, you need to stop the car" ).
Step on the brake, but the car doesn't seem to slow nearly as much as it should -- no wonder, that's the clutch, idiot.
Feet on both pedals now, slowing nicely, but the eyes have drifted shut again. Open them NOW, moron.
Left eye won't open, make do with just the right one for now. Everything black except for a red glow far to the right.
What is that?
Oh.
It's the numbers that my bedside clock project on the ceiling. The reason my left eye won't open is that it's pressed firmly against the pillow. I'm lying in bed, on my left side. That drowsy sensation was because I was actually asleep, dreaming I was driving down the freeway.
The boundary between asleep and awake suddenly feels very blurry.
Like my tired eyes.