Insomnia III

Insomnia is more than just an affliction. For some it's a fully-fledged disease. For others it's just a minor inconvenience. For a very few, sleep itself is no more than a necessary evil. Have a read over here for a different look at sleep and our need for it.

I've been a self-diagnosed insomniac since I was about eight years old. It doesn't help that during the few hours sleep I get a week, I'm a very light sleeper, and can get woken up by an ant going for a stroll at a hundred paces.

For me it seems that insomnia is different. It's a conspiracy. There are rules that govern this world. The earth orbits the sun. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. And the most important rule is the rule that says that Ben is not allowed to have a decent sleep. Most people, especially those nearest and dearest just think that I can't sleep. But there really, truly, is a Conspiracy.

There's always something sent to keep me awake. Every time I think that there can't be anything new to send my way, The Conspiracy finds a way. Normally it's the kids. Or the train line that runs not far from my house. Or a multitude of other distractions. Today, however was different.

Having not been in bed for more than an hour, I'm woken by the sound of metallic clanging. A little like jangling keys, but just louder. I move my pillow from under my head and practically smother myself to try and drown out the noise. No such luck. Eventually I give up and take a look out the window to find that without any prior warning, someone has decided to erect scaffolding outside my bedroom window.

I yell, scream, shout, cry and eventually collapse in a gibbering wreck. I get up, decide to say good morning to the family, have breakfast (or it might be a late dinner as my world is back-to-front), and move into one of the kids rooms at the front of the house, away from the newly built scaffolding.

Which is when the lawn mower starts up right underneath the window.

So to the non-believers - NOW DO YOU BELIEVE ME? It really is a Conspiracy!