Zzzzzzz

I tend to have some specific memories that have burned themselves into my brain from years ago. Not all are exciting or even that interesting to anyone else, but they have settled on my brain and that's that. Here's one about a few minutes long from a class I had in 1979 regarding something I still love to do.

Ed Angiolillo, a one time science teacher at Goff Jr High, was a rare instance of a teacher I've met. One who liked the subject he taught and the kids as well. His only fault, that I know of, was that he barely kept control of his class. I 'm sure he felt like a heel when the principal would stroll on by, and hear the ruckus. Hell, every teacher in the school knew he was lousy at managing the more boisterous of the kids. But in my opinion, that was a small price to pay for his being “real” and human. Other teachers there easily defaulted to their neurotic/ugly coping skills to control a class. Read that as: Those teachers lost control and let their emotions rule. “GOD DAMMIT! I SAID TO QUIET DOWN!” In contrast, Ed was one of those people who didn't seem to have a bad bone in him.

Ed also allowed the kids to have conversations that had nothing to do with the matter at hand and he'd jump into them from time to time. Anything from sports, to the current news or life in general, he'd get his opinion in as well. When Newport ave was being torn up for a resurfacing, we kids were surprised to see them pulling out old trolley tracks that had been repaved over and over again. Ed told us he rode trolleys as a kid. It was kinda cool to hear this, from a living witness of local Pawtucket. Add to that his stories weren't full of BS either.

One time, I once mentioned to others in Ed's class that I LOVED to sleep. Some balked at that thought as Saturday should be enjoyed as soon as it got light out. “Don't waste a minute of it!” was their credo. I said the best relaxation you could get was being dead asleep. If I remember right, I said, “sleep is the best vacation in the world you'll ever take.”

Some others in the class were backing me the whole way, they loved it too.

“How late do you sleep till on a weekend?” I was asked by one of them who routinely got up with the chickens.

“Ten”

“TEN!” she and others shrieked.

“Hey, I'm up watching SNL and then SCTV after...it gets late.” I said, feeling like I had to excuse myself.

I was then asked why I liked to sleep.

“Oh, the relaxation, there's nothing better. In winter, you can't get any warmer than that (My Mom was a thermostat dictator) and the dreams. The dreams are more wild than any movie you can watch.”

I then added something that grabbed the attention of Angiolillo.

“Plus, when you're asleep, you don't have to think of anything, you're numb.” I finally said.

Angiolillo's head shot around and looked right at me.

At fourteen, I never did “get” what his immediate reaction to me meant. I did recognize he shot me one hell of a look, more of one that was of deep interest if anything else. I did come to realize he looked at me with a “Why does a fourteen year old kid need to be “numb?” look. But when I was fourteen, how much living and experience with reading people's reactions did I have then? Barely above zero.

The funny thing, he occasionally would shoot a look at me for the rest of the class, long after the topic of sleep was over and we were onto some reason why gases expand when heated. Like I said before, I was clueless that he had learned something about me with that slip of mine.

Had I been aware, I wasn't about to say to him and the entire class: “Gee Mr. Angiolillo, I'm currently propping up, emotionally and psychologically, a 48 year old Mom who in the depths of depression. That's why I like it when I can be unconscious for a few hours and forget it all.”

Right. I was far more than aware than to unleash that juicy tidbit of gossip onto the small town that Pawtucket was. I was very aware of that at that age.

So parents out there, how many times did your own kids blurt out deep, family secrets to their teachers or anyone else without realizing it? Oh, I'd say a few million times per kid. One of the more funnier things I overheard a kid say a ways back was: “Mommy and Daddy don't fight over their covers..they have TWO beds!”

**

Why do I love sleeping still? Again, the relaxation, the warmth, the dreams...and the fact sleep can keep me blissfully unaware that I'm sick with the flu, for a few hours at least. Taxes, the lengthening crack in my windshield, other people's chemo treatments I worry about and the usual day to day BS doesn't intrude. Welcome to the Bahamian vacation!

I ain't alone in this way of thinking...am I? Nope. At 50 I know a few things about people now.

If you really want to be comatose, get a Techloft anything; quilt, sleeping bag or what not and toss that on top of your bed. It's great!

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