Mask

I wore me one of them eye masks.

Ahem.

Sorry.

Ahem.

I wore one of those eye masks. One of those black eye masks that you wear at night or in the morning. It was morning for me.

Morning in America.

(Remember that?)

But, still.

So I wore one of those eye masks, like the Lone Ranger without the eyeholes kind. I thought probably it would be weird. Because I'd never worn one. I thought probably it would be uncomfortable, and being uncomfortable, it would defeat the whole "I can't sleep for light, so on goes mask to block out light, and down goes me to the bottom of sleep." I thought the straps and pressure on my face would defeat the purpose.

Didn't, though. Went right to sleep, me. Right down to the bottom of sleep. For hours, in the morning, down to the very comfortable bottom of sleep.

Like I'd been wearing one my whole damn life.

Whole damn life.

This proves to me the concept of collective memory. You know? Memory that is shared? By all humanity? Proven. It's proven by the fact that the eye mask was in no way uncomfortable and allowed me to sink way down to the bottom of sleep.

How else? I mean, really?

Collective memory lives at the shallow end of sleep, I think. The shared threads of memory live at the shallow end.

Or, better, the shared currents of collective memory run shallow. I put on the mask, felt the weird pressure on my eyes, and the pull of the straps behind my ears, and yet managed to sink to the shallows of sleep. And at the shallows, collective memory reminded me that "I" had many times worn the mask, many times felt the pressure and the pull of the mask, was familiar with them, didn't mind them, and so let's go, all of us—humanity—we'll go deeper and deeper to the bottom of sleep, eh? Let's all go together, eye mask in place, right? Sure.

Proof!

Pardon me while I re-wear the eye mask and see what else of yours I remember. I'll blog when I know everything else.

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This post is dedicated to Mini. She's mere days old. And lives in the shallow end of sleep. Think of all she must remember! Think about it!

Sorry for the day's delay.

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Saturday is the Seattle Race for the Cure. Donations appreciated. Also, words of encouragement. Comments section opened temporarily.