Exhaustion - But Not Mine!

Wednesday night is my evening shift at the library. I wound things up and headed out, calling Drew from the car in the parking lot to see what he was up to and whether he had eaten yet. I had not had an opportunity to partake of dinner (or supper, depending on your upbringing) and thought he might be willing to get something started.

No answer. Sometimes he is in the bathroom or walking the dog. At the first red light, I called him again. 6 rings and voice mail came up. I am suspicious. Sometimes he takes a nap when he gets home from school, and doesn't wake up when he intends. One more red light, one more call, still no Drew.

I arrive home and all the lights in the apartment are out. Could it be he has gone somewhere and left his phone at home? Naw. He is glued to his phone. I unlock the door, step into the darkness, am bowled over by Sugar, and flip the light switch on. After hanging up my jacket (notice I did not say coat - way too warm for a coat these days) I walk down the hall and open Drew's bedroom door.

Sure enough, he is sprawled out on his futon fully dressed, hair tousled, sneaker dangling over the edge. He starts awake and stares at me. "Did you eat?" He shakes his head no. "Do you want to have something with me?" He mumbles something unintelligible and flops back down, instantly deep into his dreams again.

I think Robotics has caught up. That and all the reading he is doing to catch up in English (they are reading the Hunger Games). I close the door, shepherding Sugar back to the kitchen. Let him sleep, poor thing. I know what it is to be running on the raw edge for a long time, and then crashing.

I break an egg into my frying pan and smash the yoke. Sugar licks her chops. Drew will grab something in the morning, I am sure. Besides, I spy an almost empty donut hole container and am pretty sure he did not deprive himself before flinging his worn out body into the comforts of bed.