Dinner and a Nightmare

In an effort to eat better and live longer, I have for the most part stopped eating late. If I do eat late it’s usually something light. Gone are the days of the midnight pastrami burger and onion rings of my youth. The fact that I can’t find one in the Houston area helps to keep me in check. Sometimes however I just want something fat and greasy. Seldom does that call come in the late evening but the other night it did.

I hadn’t eaten since breakfast and while it was late, I was ravenous. The burger, fries, and a soda were as tasty and satisfying as I remember. Of course it was late and I went to bed a couple of hours later and payment came due right away. Getting right to sleep wasn’t easy despite the quiet, darkness, and trappings of comfort. It did come eventually but so did the nightmares. There were no actual monsters in my dreams but the stress, worry, and fear was there all the same. I awoke with a start right before the alarm. The nightmare was still there on the periphery so I stayed my hand from the snooze button. Sweaty and tired I rose to my morning rituals. I remembered the dream quite vividly for a few hours but in the light of day and a wakeful mind, the scenario was just nonsensical. By lunchtime I could vaguely remember it.

Do I regret eating so poorly? Not really, it was a really good burger. It would have been even better with onion rings instead of fries. Will I do it again? No time soon but definitely. I may not be able to live like I was in my twenties but once or twice a month I can act like it. I haven’t had a nightmare in a while though. I can’t say I liked it.