The Ubiquitous Mr Lovegrove
I've been out every night this week, so I haven't had a chance to write up my weekend activities (and they were myriad). In lieu of not posting, I've decided to tell you the story of when I used to sleepwalk. I've been trying to figure out how old I was and I would have thought I was pretty young, until I remember that the LB is involved and he was old enough to be in his own bed and talking, so let's assume he's 5 or 6, which makes me 9 or 10. As far as we know I sleepwalked (sleptwalked) three times.
It was summer back in 1973 or 74 (I think) and one night, after watching Johnny Carson's monologue, Mom and Dad were walking through the kitchen doorway (TV was in the family room on the other side of the kitchen) and saw me walking in the front door. After a couple of mini-heart attacks, they discovered I was not actually awake. The story goes that I had walked out the front door (definitely unlocked, and probably open as it was summer), gone next door and asked if Lisa could come out to play. I'm not sure if that actually happened, because I can't imagine Mrs. L would have just sent me home at 11:30 p.m. and in my PJs. I would have to think she'd have walked me back and made sure my parents knew what was going on.
I'm not sure of the time frame but the next time I went sleepwalking (could have been the next night), I discovered that the front door was closed and locked. This caused my sleeping body to crash into the door. I remember waking up sitting on the bathroom vanity and crying as ice was being applied to the bump on my head.
The third and final time was a bit more eventful, at least for the LB. He woke up to find me pulling down my undies and about to sit on his bed. "Kathleen, what are you doing?" "Going to the bathroom," was apparently my reply, which sent the LB into hysterics. "MOM! DAD!!! Kathleen's peeing on my bed." Although we weren't allowed to say "peeing" so he probably said "going to the bathroom." We also weren't allowed to use the word "fart."
I believe Mom and Dad got there in time to rescue the LB and his bed, and keep me from peeing on his bed. A doctor's appointment was made and whatever he said or did worked because I believe those are the only times I ever sleepwalked. I think I've asked Mom before what the doctor told her, but she doesn't remember. Sometimes it's truly hell being the middle child. ;-)
posted by Kathleen @ 9:19 AM
15 comments
15 Comments:
Great post. I once walked into my parents' room and said, "The letters P and Q are bothering me." I even remember the dream that prompted me to say so. They were like the letters on the Electric Company, big and white with human legs and arms--chasing me all over creation. Guess I hadn't been minding them lately.
And all those times your brother was accused of wetting the bed...
Freaky. Reminds me of years ago when my brother's fiancee slept in his bed in our room while he was working nights. (ya, now that I think of it, it does seem odd that we were sleeping in the same room. oh well) She began talking in her sleep. Very clearly.
"Don't forget the scissors. You need the scissors to do it."
Well, let me tell you, I slept with one eye open that night.
People do strange things in their sleep.
Thanks for the edit by the Kat. You really helped me out there. Next time I'll send it to you beforehand, since you have such talent for editing.
Wake up, Kat! You've been sleep-blogging for the past two years! What are all these names you keep shouting? "Scott, Jason, Dave, MW, Libertarian, LB, OS..."?
;-)
My sister used to sleepwalk. Her roommates found her in the front yard once, clutching a kitchen knife.
I, on the other hand, talk in my sleep. I've had full conversations and never woke up.
My mom once spanked me for trying to walk out of the apartment, and was so pissed at me the next morning. I had no idea what she was talking about, and she never believed that I was sleeping.
Scott - Fellow Sleepwalker Unite!
Jason - Oops.
Dave - I would have chosen the couch.
MW - Sometimes I have no clue what you're talking about. This would be one of those times.
Trina - No clue if I talk in my sleep. The cats aren't great conversationalists anyway.
Scott - Actually knowing my father, I'm amazed that wasn't his first course of action.
It was awesome being the baby of the family ... well, in some ways, not in all. I have never sleepwalked and it seems so scary to me. Heck, I don't even like the feeling of shaking yourself awake when you feel like you're going over the edge of the bed.
You're dreaming, Kathleen! You will soon wake up in front of your old POS computer in the sauna room, solitaire game half finished, and none of us will ever have existed!
What's not to get?
;-p
Fortunately you stopped young. It would just be downright embarrasing to find yourself waking up peeing in the front yard some morning.
I have a buddy who's younger brother had a bit of a bedwetting problem when he was small. So instead of my buddy walking all the way downstairs to go to the bathroom, he'd just walk over and pee in his younger brothers bed instead. It was years later before he finally fessed up to it.
I tell ya, I damn near split a gut when he told me that story...
I used to sleepwalk, too. I would get up and get reay for school or be digging through my closet for toys to take to my friend's house. I never tried to pee on my brother's bed, though! That's just funny.
Speaking of my brother, he woke up from a dead sleep one night and (according to my sister-in-law) started annoucing the starting line-up for the Avalance with himslef in goal. He even cheered for himself!
When I become a really old guy, I can see myself acting out that last sleepwalking episode, only then I won't be asleep, it won't be nearly so funny.
Great story, Kathleen.
I was about 7 when I had my sleepwalking episode, my older sister and her current husband (#4, married one twice)were making out in the living room and I sat down and told them a long story about the little girl that was just killed on the front lawn. Maybe that's why it took him almost 30 years to decide to marry her...
Schprockie - Thanks. That means a lot coming from you.
Sal - LOL! 30 years?
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