Zero Readership

Apparently I have a serious issue - lots actually - but more specifically I've discovered how much my body relies upon caffeine to get it through the day. I drink several cups of tea pretty much every day, and use coffee as a suppliment ever few days or so. I recently discovered that successive days of coffee drinking usually leads to sleepless nights, but if I drink it one day, and then lay off of it for a day or two, I'm fine. Tea doesn't appear to have any effect on my sleeping pattern.

I like waking up with caffeine - making a mug of something hot is usually first on my daily agenda. Today was a rare day. I somehow forgot to make a cafeinated beverage of any kind.

The effects were devastating.

Somehow I managed to get myself outside and moving, but in reality I probably should have just stayed home. Unfortunately I had some business to attend to and so I had to make the effort at least. Quite frankly, I'm embarrassed by myself today. People could tell something was wrong. Here's an example of a typical conversation that occured between people who passed by me today:

****

"Holy geez. Hey dude. Come here, and check this out."

"What?"

Whispers, "Look at this guy."

Squints eyes. "Is he dead?"

"I dunno. You think?"

"Well he's not moving, but he is standing. I don't think dead people can stand."

"You're probably right. But, I don't think he's even breathing."

"Shit, it doesn't look like he is." A momentary pause. "I'm gonna poke him."

"What? You're kidding right? That's gross."

"Why's it gross?"

"Well, if he is dead, you don't want to go around poking dead bodies do you?"

Picks up a stick laying nearby. "I'll poke him with this."

"Oh, good idea."

Moves forward with stick held out ready for poking.

"Wait!"

"What?"

"I just saw him move. I think one of his eyelids fluttered. Yes, there it goes again."

"Damn, you're right. OK, he's not dead, but what the hell's wrong with him?"

"He musn't have had any caffeine this morning."

****

It was a long day.