[I hear things moving at night in my room. We’ve had mice; we’ve even had rats in the walls, but in my room I never see anything, I just hear things. That’s one reason I sleep with my lights on. There are other reasons. I’m 83. I would prefer to die in my sleep, softly, gently. None of thus “rage, rage against the dying of the light” for me. In fact I’m always a bit surprised when I wake up, and the thing is I wake up frequent;y during the night. I like the lights on when that happens: 12:30 a.m.; 1:45; 2:36; 4:02. Usually I fall back to sleep. If after 15 minutes I am still there, awake, that is, I open the kindle until my eyes get heavy or until I fall asleep with the kindle on my chest.
And then again I hear things. There’s a small refridge next to me; it makes its own special kinds of noises. Sometimes those noises wake me; startle me at times. I hate that, and to teach it a lesson, I open it up, pull out a mango Chobani smoothie, all 7 ounces, twist off the lid and have my revenge. “One less treasure, Beast!” The fridge softly slumbers on. But the noises that bother me are always on the other side of the room: behind the chair, under the chest, in the corner just out of sight.
And then there are the whisperings. I have along with many other health issues, tinnitus, so like a seashell, there is always that gentle roaring going on in side my head. The air conditioner, located in an adjoining area, also makes its own special noise day and night. But the truly eerie sound is the low-voiced whispering that sounds like either Walter Cronkite or like Edward R. Murrow on the radio.; the sounds are like an insistent voice but one that is just below the range of intelligibility. So that’s the way it is each night, ghoulish sounds not quite intelligible. Anyway, enough with eerie noises in the night, so as Murrow always said to end his broadcasts, “Goodnight and good luck.”
GHOSTLY WHISPERINGS IN THE NIGHT
Soft low breathings scare me quite;
Something’s moving in my room,
Papers rustling in the gloom.
There’s that breathing sound again; 5
Back to sleep I’ll just pretend
Nothing’s there that might offend.
Nothing’s there with fangs or claws
Or with terrifying jaws.
I’ll pull my covers end to end. 10
And hope God’s grace will harm forfend.
Still, with night just half begun
Could be Demons having fun
Until the rising of the sun! 14
Images: Dr. Dog considering, wondering what it’s all about; the second is Edward R. Murrow, telling us what it’s all about. That’s the way it is; good night and good luck. Take care of yourselves and one another.
