Senescent

Listening to: the ‘easy listening’ station on cableI was lying on the couch in the fetal position clutching my cramping belly (note to self: a gallon of Coke and a basket of onion rings does not a good lunch make) when my daughter (4 yrs old) says, “Mommy, I need some soft music.” I change the channel to jazz and she said it needed to be softer. I turn down the volume. “No, Mommy, soft like in my bedroom when I need to sleep. This little fellah [she points down to her stuffed animal] needs to take a nap!” So I put on the easy listening station and within 20 seconds (no joke) I’m sound asleep. I woke up about a half hour later to find her crashed out on her Dora couch, one arm slung over Snoopy, her hair spread out around her like a static-y blonde spider web. I’m afraid to turn off this magic music for fear she’ll wake up. She hasn’t napped in months. It’s not even that bad, this music; it’s kind of hum-able and inoffensive to the ear. It’s easy to listen to. Easy listening. Makes me think, that house dress my 80-year-old neighbor wears… that looks really comfortable. A pair of knee-highs, some slippers, my hair set: easy living.