3:19

I'm outta bed and onto
the street within half
a minute. The sounds
are only reaching my
ears like I'd been listening,
in close proximity,
to loud music.
I feel sorta underwater or
distant from everyone
else. No one notices
and I make a point
not to panic. I
enter the next dark
and ambient 4 o'clock
bar I can find.
Give me a pint of
Gumball Head, I whisper.
I glance sideways to
see which sideways
glances are peering at
me. The usual suspects
oblige my eyes.
I'm thirstier than
I ever remember
having been.
The bits and the
pieces of the half
spoken sentences enter
my half heard brain.
In four long pulls
the glass is empty.
My hands are shaking
and the room
suddenly seems so
loud that it's quiet.
I wonder why she
keeps looking at
me. I watch her
stand-up and motion
for me to follow along
outside. She tells me
I was starring. Then
she takes me by the
hand and says to
be still. I close
my eyes and when
her mouth meets mine,
I remember this
moment from the
dream that awoke me.