excuse

i think i'm going to call out sick today.

i'm going to decide in the next half hour.

i didn't sleep much last night.

the air conditioner was on but my sheets got very sweaty.

i had a sensation that my throat was going to close 

if i fell asleep.

at 5am, when i got up to go to the bathroom,

each muscle ached as if i had been lifting weights

the day before.

i drank water from a tupper-ware container 

because there were no clean glasses.

within 15 minutes, as i tossed and turned, my breath

bounced off the sheets with a putrid vengeance. 

but now it's 9am and my cold sweats don't feel threatening,

my throat feels okay, and my head only hurts

if i shake it in a violent 'yes' or 'no' motion.

i can shop and do laundry, if i stay home.

i can read a book, though i'll probably just watch 2 or 3 movies.

i'm nervous about how convincing i'll sound on the phone.

i'm sure people have 'called out' for less. 

i guess i'm really deciding which environment will feel better today:

this asylum of cheese-tongue sickness or the bright open world.