The hours an elementary school teacher and a professional musician keep are quite different. When I'm working, I get up around 5:30 in the morning. That means bedtime is usually between nine and ten. Any later than that, and it's going to be a rough start for me in the morning. Michael's schedule, on the other hand, varied a lot. His only "day job" was playing in the Royal Street Bachelors at Disneyland twice a week. Most of his other gigs took place at night, and he'd oftentimes get home well after midnight.
Frequently, when I was ready to retire for the evening, he was not. Sometimes he'd want to stay up and play guitar, but usually he wanted to watch television for a while longer. The thing was that he usually fell asleep watching television, and could easily spend most of the night on the couch with the television on. That drove me nuts. I could never understand how he could sleep with the television on like that, and besides I'd rather he come to bed with me.
Once I was aware of this habit of his, if I didn't fall asleep quickly myself, I'd keep checking on him to see if he was still awake. If he was asleep already, then I'd wake him up and get him to come to bed. But, if he was awake, I'd stand in hall doorway and tell him, "Honey, I am missing you." It was my way of telling him that I wanted him to turn off the television and get ready for bed. He usually got up and did so just to make me happy.
Michael liked to listen to the radio while he "slept". Seriously, I don't know how much deep sleep he ever got leaving the television on and listening to the radio like he did. He had this old radio that he would set in the window sill near his bedside. He'd put an earbud in his left ear and lay on his right side listening to Coast to Coast for most of the night. (He loved a good conspiracy theory.) If I needed to tell him something, I had to speak up so he could hear me over all the talk about aliens and world domination.
He was so quirky, but I loved his quirks.
Honey, I am missing you right now.
You are a poignant writer and a beautiful person. Sending you lots of love today!
ReplyDeleteSara
I know it hurts, but I love to read the Michael stories! I love getting to know him better, and they make me smile.
ReplyDeleteBig HUGS..
ReplyDeleteI know you are missing him .. wish I could do something.
LOVE YA..
Thinking of you ..
First of all, Joannah you are such a gifted writer. These entries need to be made into a book. Not a book about grief, but a book about love.
ReplyDeleteNext, can I just say that I totally understand Mike's need to fall asleep listening to something or watching something? It drives Ted nuts! When he travels, I frequently wake up and find my Kindle in bed with me, in stand-by mode with the booklight still on, AND the tv playing some type of home improvement show. :-)
I was crying at the title...Our husbands had some similarities!
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