I was in the middle of a dream when my phones wake up alarm went off. I was still groggy as I fumbled to reach for it on the bedside table. I turned off the alarm and was trying to put it back on the table when I missed and it clattered to the floor, its protective case breaking away and sliding across the room.
“Oh, yeah. Good morning.” I sighed as I tossed the covers off of me and quickly grabbed the phone and the case, put them back together before taking my bathrobe from the end of the bed, putting it on and dropping my phone in its pocket.
I was still not fully awake as I went out to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Filling the kettle at the sink a loud, high pitched sound was coming from my pocket. Putting the kettle on the counter-top I pulled the phone out of my pocket and saw that an emergency SOS 911 call had been made. “NO, NO, NO.” I cried as my heart began to race and without thinking I hung up.
Immediately the 911 dispatcher called back. “This is 911 we just received a call from your phone.”
“I’m so sorry.” I said in a shaky voice. “I have no idea how that happened. My phone was in my pocket and it just went off!”
“Okay. Ma’am. Can I have your name please?”
“Of course.” Once I’d given my name I apologized again before hanging up.
My husband Steven came into the kitchen. “What was that noise?” He asked as he rubbed his eye with the back of his hand.
“I accidentally called 911 and hung up.”
Steven stopped rubbing his eye and looked at me. “You hung up on 911? You’re never suppose to do that.”
“I know!” I cried. “I just panicked!”
“Well, I’m pretty sure you can expect the police to be here soon.” He said as he reached in the cabinet for his coffee mug.
“Really?” I went and looked out the front window. “The dispatcher didn’t say anything about that. She just took my name.” No cars were in sight so I went back into the kitchen to finish making my tea.
Steven shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t think it makes a difference.”
While the water was heating up I went back to the living room waiting for the police to arrive.
Several minutes later no police had arrived and I was taking a sip from my cup when I missed my mouth and spilled hot tea down the front of my robe. “Okay, that’s it!” I put the cup on the counter-top and took off my robe. “I’m going back to bed and starting this day all over again!”
Steven looked confused. “Don’t you have work today?”
“Yes. But first I’m climbing back in bed, pretending to go back to sleep and ‘waking up’ all over again.” I had done air quotes with my fingers when I said waking up.
I stormed back to the bedroom and tossed my soggy robe on the floor before climbing back in bed and closing my eyes.
Steven had followed me and was leaning against the door frame taking a sip from his coffee mug. “When would you like me to wake you up?” He asked.
I halfway opened one eye. “Two minutes please. I can’t be late for work.” I pulled the covers up under my neck, closed my eyes, and waited.
Slice of Life 