I Can Do That In My Sleep: Just A Gummy Bear

It was inevitable.  The day was coming that I'd head off into the real world and unleash the sleepwalker on new and unsuspecting friendships.  And once it had, it was here, and it was here to stay.

These are the events that followed.

J U S T  A  G U M M Y  B E A R

When I first left home, I was seventeen years old and wonderfully curious about the world.  In many ways, life was at its peak and everything was an adventure.  And I'm thankful to say that the fun hasn't yet ended. (Click here if life has become a bit colorless for you.  I have some thoughts about that.)

My journey began in Colorado, and as I write the words, I'm tempted to quote the great Lloyd Christmas, but I won't.  Nevertheless, the Rocky Mountains were, indeed, rocky.  Beauty was in abundance and I was as ignorant as a young adult could be... but I didn't know that.

On a quick side-note, if you ever get the chance to visit the state, consider climbing Pikes Peak!  It won't let you down.  And ask the locals about the old railroad tracks in Manitou Springs.  There's a great hike there as well!

So I had made my way to Colorado Springs and joined a group of like-minded people doing some great work.  We were called "theFurnace" and I never asked why there wasn't a space in between the two words.  But to this day, I feel a little insecure when I write it out, thinking that the reader will assume I didn't catch the mistake.

Thanks, guys! ;)

During my first year in the Springs, I lived with a wonderful family, who hosted my stay.  We'll call them the Smith's for this post.  The Smith's were great and two of their sons, Stephen and Devin, were also in the Furnace (I write it this way, too, sometimes because it makes me feel less anxious).

Stephen and I shared a room and for whatever reason, I forgot to tell him about my sleepwalking.  It was an innocent mistake and ended up making for quite the introduction when just a few days into my stay, things got a little crazy.

I don't think he'll ever forget this story...

So it's the middle of the night and we're both in a deep sleep.  Stephen awakes to a sound in the room and something patting on the bed/touching his feet.  Using his cellphone as a light, he points it towards the end of the bed and finds me standing there.

And know this: if Stephen wanted to leave the room, he'd need to pass by me first.  In a sense, I was blocking his way.  So there I stood and I'm using my hands to pat around at the foot of his bed.  But that wasn't all!  Apparently, I had something to say as well.

"There's a demon!" I exclaimed, pointing towards a desk in the corner.

Now realizing the seriousness of the situation, Stephen began to scurry around in his bed, hoping to find that perfect position for... encountering demons, I guess.   

Wait, what was it again?

Try putting yourself in his shoes for a second.  Can imagine how intense this must have been for him?  I mean, for all he knew, this new roommate of his had the ability to see demons in the middle of the night, had seen one, and wanted to tell him about it (in a loud voice).  It was a lot to take in and the sense of urgency didn't help, either (because there was a demon in the room and it was there now).

So there he was, pointing his phone all around the room in search of some mysterious force.  And the poor guy doesn't even know that I sleepwalk yet!  But it gets better.  A moment later, I casually turn away and start walking towards my bed.

"Oh never mind," I say.  "It was just a gummy bear.  We eat those in theFurnace." 

(And believe it or not, I even said it without the space in between the two words.)

I then get back into my bed - still asleep - and nestle in.  But Stephen's wide awake and his adrenaline's pumping.  Is there a demon or isn't there?  And was it really just a gummy bear or - wait, what am I saying??  That's ridiculous!  Who is this guy and why's he in my room?!

I remained unresponsive as Stephen struggled to make sense of it all...
(Or to fall back asleep.)

Quick Bonus Story: One night, Stephen's girlfriend was over and they were in the living room.  I had already fallen asleep and began to sleepwalk.  But the thing was, I was in an angry stupor and pacing all around the bedroom.  It actually freaked them out, and especially his girlfriend (now wife).  I remember waking up and seeing them staring at me from the hallway.  I felt embarrassed and didn't tell them that I had woken up.

I just went back to bed.

<Sleepwalking Adventure #3  

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Mystery Post!

Note: A "Mystery Post" is a post selected totally at random.  There's a lot to explore on this blog & this is a fun way to do it!  Enjoy!