Aaah!! Sleep, that time cum boredom eating, phenomenon of paradise which leaves you cocained, overwhelmed and consumed. Refreshing and delightful, it is nature's remedy for the tired soul, as Jeeves of P G Wodehouse fame or some other bird caged in the ocean of literature I have immersed in says.
My sleeping habits are well documented, somewhat reflecting my view in life, "All or nothing" (This surely stolen from Alexander Dumas's "Three Musketeers"). The bed is a temple they say, and I, am an extremely loyal devotee of the lord of the bed. Sleep is something that doesn't come easily to me, but once there, my body greets it akin to how the evil Duryodhana took to Karna. As a corollary, my sleep is as legendary as their never dying friendship. And when this love story looked like it could go on forever, the relationship began to see a few tiffs. A new concept slowly captured the lions share of my imagination. And the infidel that I am, I actually began a relationship anew, and how I am reveling in this new matrimonial alliance. For my nights sleep I am loyal to good old sleep but my infrequent afternoon naps follow the new "Power nap" route. Key to this is another love affair.
Aaah!! Radio. The beginning of all love affairs. How romantic a concept to simply listen in to songs, romantic songs. My old sound system, the entire music system, straight out of a fairy-tale from the 90s, the kind a shy newly married couple would pose with for an advertisement against a black and white background. This particular sound system in question is ancient, perhaps costing a fortune in its prime and tragically forced to check out from my aunt's house when they decided to give their house a new look. And through natural inheritance, the beauty made its way into my room after a brief stay in my sister's room, where it had problems with the host. Equipped with something as ancient as a cassette player, there was something mythical and spiritual about it, it's music my only companion as I studied into the wee hours of the mornings in preparation for my board exams, and certainly the silent music emanating from "Radio Mirchi - 98.3 FM, Sakkath Hot Maga" played a huge part in me securing a 10 point in my board exam.
Ironically, a 10 point grade prompted my parents to buy me a "Sony Walkman", an MP3 player, state of the art, latest, and most importantly, with FM radio facility as well.
It was only in the start that I was loyal to radio. My infidelity came to the fore again, storing all the songs I ever heard for the past three years, incorporating them all into my so small and sleek yet efficient MP3 player. Earphones gave me the luxury of sleeping with the music ringing in my ears, the music of my choice that too. So I didn't have to pray for my favourite song to come along, or stay up to switch off the radio, my sister did not have to listen to my music, which could additionally be altered to match my mood.
I do miss the joy of anticipation, of not knowing which song was next, the delight of the co-incidental matching of radio jockey's choice of song and my own mood but no sir, thank you very much. I would prefer my own music please. And now with a rather complete collection of around 120 songs, radio feels like a long lost lover. MP3 generation is taking over. Atleast, MP3 has taken over me.
So, now the short nap, the kind of nap which will drive me for another hour and then allow sleep to slowly and ever so gently take over, is what I call a power nap. With a large collection of songs, slow, melodramatic songs, usually from desolate lovers announcing their plight to the world, of the girl who ran away, or the girl he loves, is what evokes the lullaby feeling in me, putting behind the miseries of the day. These ever so sad songs come in three varieties, Kannada, English and Hindi, and Kannada ranks first in the priorities.
And a few verses from this pitiably desolate lover puts me in a trance, a half asleep stage, from which you can choose to rise, like a phoenix out of the ashes, and conquer all, or choose not to resist sleep which slowly yet surely takes over. And so, when you give sleep just a glance, a peep, into your inner soul only to shun her away when satisfied, you have just had your power nap. And oh, how it rejuvenates you, how it fills you with the lost energy, just when you need it.
Picture this, you return tired after more than 12 hours in a school, your brain at full capacity attempting to assimilate all it has received on the day. You put a couple of ear-phones a millimetre from you ear drum and just let nature take her course.
You wouldn't view my infidelity too harshly would you. I'm sure you wouldn't. Thank you