NervousMan Sits Quietly in His Darkened Room

NervousMan sat in his darkened bedroom. The dark felt good on his eyes and let them rest. Sometimes he would open the blinds and let the sun in, but only in the afternoon when the light was indirect.

Sometimes, when NervousMan would walk outside, the sun would hit his eyes and he would sneeze violently. People would stare at NervousMan and NervousMan would feel nervous.

NervousMan wondered if he should sleep. What else is there to do? he thought to himself. This was NervousMan's favorite way of thinking: to himself.

I'll just close my eyes he thought and listen to the silence.

It wasn't entirely silent in NervousMan's room. Somewhere off in the distance, he could hear the faint revving of a leaf blower, starting and stopping and starting again. Somewhere, leaves were being blown along the sidewalk, by someone.

Perhaps the rain had knocked the leaves down, thought NervousMan. NervousMan liked the rain. It gave him an excuse to stay inside.

NervousMan wondered who the person with the leafblower was. Maybe the leafblower was a nice person. And pleasant. Someone who was not at all nervous. Just blowing leaves.

NervousMan enjoyed silence more than noise. Noise made NervousMan nervous. If he were walking outside and a door opened suddenly nearby, or someone closed a car hood, or if people laughed suddenly, NervousMan would jump, and his heart would race. Other people would walk by as if nothing had happened.

What was wrong with NervousMan? NervousMan didn't know. NervousMan frowned in the darkness of his room. Perhaps, if I can find out what is wrong, then I can set it right, he thought to himself again.

But first, he had to know.

NervousMan felt tired and he reminded himself to breathe again. Why did he keep forgetting? What was wrong? That was the question he wanted to know the answer to. And yet the question made NervousMan weary, tired, sleepy.

For now, NervousMan would sleep. Maybe by the time he woke up, things would be better than they were now.

Sleeping is good, NervousMan thought. In dreams, NervousMan was a God, but when he woke up, here in the other world, he was only a man.

Slowly, NervousMan lifted the covers and made his way into his bed. It was only 4pm but it would be nice to be in the dreamworld for a few hours.

From far away the leafblower continued to blow. NervousMan could hear it, his eyes shining in the darkness.

What is wrong? What is wrong? he thought as the room seemed to get darker around him. What is wrong with me? NervousMan thought as he drifted off to sleep.