It Happened Again Last Night

By unni_kumaran

Thu, 13 Apr 2023
  • 248 reads
2 comments
 
I woke up in the middle of the night. Fully awake with the brain going full blaze. Anxieties and fear, and the nagging thoughts of a hundred tasks delayed or procrastinated. I was trying to close circles that would not close, and complete thoughts that would not end. The brain had taken possession.
Tossing and turning only made it worse.
I thought if I cannot still my mind, I might as well wake up and get out of bed. The idle body is the mind’s playground.
Quietly out of my bed so as not to disturb my wife, I tip-toed to the kitchen. Warmed a glass of warm milk and slowly drank it, but still, my mind won't rest.
I take out a couple of potatoes and begin to peel them without any idea of what I will do with them. But I continue to peel, carefully making every piece of the peel equal in size. I don't discard the peel but arrange them neatly on a plate. I cut the potatoes, also with more care than is required.
I then take a large onion, remove its red skin and slice it as finely as I can. I whip four eggs, whip them more vigorously than I usually do.
I look at all that I had done and my mind is now with me. It is now worrying about my work which has become its work.
The mise en plus prompts my next move. I heat a pan with some oil in it and make a potato omelette. The mind is quiet now. It is no longer unnerving me. Instead, it is fussing about the amount of salt, the fire and whether a few sliced chillies need to be added.
All ready. Breakfast for the family.
And where am I? Fast asleep. Like a baby.
Certificate U
Non-fiction
Food Tales
Other Non-fiction

Comments

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

It's an unconventional way to take your mind off things but I'm glad it worked!

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Dreams can seem so real. Years ago I had a friend who used to play her husband's guitar while sat looking out the bedroom window in her sleep, yet couldn't play when awake.

Being someone who enjoys dreaming a lot, it was fascinating reading this one.

Jenny.