HALF-ASLEEP TALKING
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| This cranky re-run is from August 2014 |
In a post last week, I was quite properly lambasted for waking Mrs. Cranky with a question. I fully understand the seriousness of this, particularly to my testosterone deficient audience. I get that many women, particularly those with young children, have little opportunity to enjoy uninterrupted sleep. In my defense, Mrs. Cranky has the unusual ability to go from sound sleep to awake and then back to sleep again in a matter of seconds. She remembers waking so it is not sleep talking, she is just able to wake and or fall back to sleep at the flip of some internal switch.
To illustrate this phenomenon, the other night we were watching one of our favorite movies, “My Cousin Vinny.” This comedy is chock full of lines which Mrs. C has committed to memory, one of her many skills. Half way through the movie she fell asleep. She was snoring in that gentle quiet rhythmic way a woman in deep sleep will snore.
In one of our favorite moments in this movie (and there are many), Joe Pesci (Cousin Vinny) interrogates a witness in an attempt to show her eye sight is unreliable. I won’t bore you with all the details of the scene, watch the movie you won’t be disappointed…
Anyway.
In this classic scene, Pesci in way of admonishing a judicial indiscretion addresses the court and the witness saying,
“Mrs. Reilly; and only Mrs. Reilly…”
At this exact moment, Mrs. Cranky arises from deep slumber and mimics,
“Mrs. Reilly and only Mrs. Reilly how many fingers I am holding up now?”
She then went instantly back to her comfortable rhythmic snore, and yes in the morning she remembered mimicking the movie.
“Mrs. Reilly and only Mrs. Reilly how many fingers I am holding up now?”
She then went instantly back to her comfortable rhythmic snore, and yes in the morning she remembered mimicking the movie.
And so I offer no real excuse for occasionally waking my wife to ask an innocuous question, but it is not as serious an offense as many might believe.
I love that movie!
ReplyDeleteI used to be like Mrs C and fall asleep at the drop of a hat, or at the blink of an eye, Even when the kids were little, but lately it takes me a little longer. Sometimes I actually turn on my light and read until I feel sleepy again.
I like her ability to quote movie lines.
Wow, instant recall AND the ability to go right back to Snoresville. All you got was a tongue lashingf? You lucked out.
ReplyDeleteThat is AMAZING!
ReplyDeletein my earlier years of marriage i was amazed with the capability of instant sleep of my husband though he never fell asleep while watching t.v .
He snores as loud as one can understand that hi is asleep and won't be waking until some bang sound near his ears but i was surprised to see when he told me in morning that woke up twice for bathroom or when he answered the question about anything for example i asked him while he snored where are the keys he will stop snoring and answer me without opening his eyes.
this is something i could never do .
I ponder upon his habit and i though it is a free mind free from all kinds of thoughts , when he lays and close his eyes he just sleeps .
i worked over this ,it took months practice but i lay and sleep now ,no more awakening with closed eyes.
She is one multi-talented woman.
ReplyDeleteSee, I know exactly where I stand with my wife, relative to sleep. We weren't married that long (altho we probably had a kid or two), when I snuggled up close to her in the middle of the night. . . No reponse. The next morning, her demeanor was as grumpy as I've ever seen (she is generally about the most pleasant person I've ever known), and she sort of snarled at me, "Look, don't try to wake me up in the middle of the night, OK? My sleep is precious."
ReplyDeleteI've come a long way, tho. I'm pretty sure that, 37 years in, she actually prefers *me* to matching socks. Which wasn't always the case. . . ;)
I can sleep though most things until close to wake up time. If I'm bothered then it's over. I'll not go back to sleep.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day, Joe. ☺
I am married to one of those! He can sleep anywhere as well. I'm the complete opposite, but lucky for me, I can go days on just a few hours sleep.
ReplyDeleteThat's one of my favorite movies (especially when I'm awake)!!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, that is funny. She must be a delight to watch sleeping. I so envy her ability to go back to sleep so easily.
ReplyDeleteTrust me; I wasn't about to judge you. I'm sure I do some things others might find odd.
ReplyDeleteShe is blessed to be able to go right back to sleep. If Sweetie wakes me up really well, i don't get back to sleep for hours. When i was at home with the kids a lot, it was not as big a deal. Now that he gets to stay home a lot and i work, it really makes my life harder.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the waking, as long as I am still allowed to get a reasonable amount of sleep. Since I don't go to bed until around 3:00, I don't appreciate Hick thinking I should be up by 6:00 or 7:00. He goes to bed at 9:00. I can't imagine him starting his day at 1:00 a.m. Yet he cannot see the point I'm trying to make.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Cranky does have enviable talents (both the going back to sleep skill, and the movie quoting skill)!
ReplyDelete