The Number One Phenomenon of living in America?

Living in arguably the richest country in the world, we still have 3rd world problems

A Grain of Salt | ElbyJames
8 min readJul 7, 2019

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Photo by Jordan Whitfield on Unsplash

I never wake up, I stumble into consciousness, much like when Doctor Victor Frankenstein’s monster comes to life and takes it’s first steps, come to think about it, it’s gait in general.

“Stay in bed” is what my inner voice tells me. “Come on, just a few more minutes. You deserve it.”

My inner boice wins, I laid in bed for a while before I attempted to get up.

Photo by Tracey Hocking on Unsplash

I shouldn’t become too comfortable, which is always a problem. Although I look forward to going to bed, sleeping itself becomes a task instead of a necessity.

I hadn’t slept very well during the last ten years. I can trace my sleeping problems back to 2005, during my deployment to Iraq. Whether it was my deployment which had an impact on my sleep is debatable.

Before then, I worked nights mostly. I’d get off work around two or three in the morning. Occasionally I’d get off even later, around three and on rare occasions at six, but this is the life of working in the restaurants.

I toss and turn.

I readjust my pillow constantly.

I sit up on the edge of my bed.

I get up and walk around trying to clear my head. This is what happens when you bring your job home with you. Sometimes you can’t help it.

I lie in bed and relive my day over and over. I go through my day with a fine-tooth comb reassessing every move I’ve ever made and every word I’ve ever said.

There’s no tv to distract me.

My cell phone is turned off.

No caffeine all day.

I stare at the clock; one o’clock. Nothing, not even the urge to sleep.

Two o’clock. I’m lying on my back staring at the ceiling.

Three o’clock. Still staring at the ceiling.

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A Grain of Salt | ElbyJames

ElbyJames is an American disabled combat vet exiled in the UK & a free speech absolutist. He’s an occasional Top Writer