Sunday, March 25, 2018

driving on the interstate...

 .. highway after a long day at work. I was on the schedule to be on the job from 7 till 4, and called to ask if I could come in sooner and get it over with. Hoping to be allowed to arrive at 5 and be finished by 2 with a break for going to church at 9:30. As it turned out I did get there at to start working at 5:00 a.m., which means I had to set the alarm for 4:00. And was able to get finished up and out the door by 2:30.

I went home to throw some stuff in a suitcase in a most haphazard manner, completely disorganized, not sure if I should be packing for winter or spring.  Got on the road and headed north, to drive up to Decatur. Listening to a talking book, but tired from being on my feets all day, plus that very early (4:00 a.m.) start. Comfortable in my little Toyota, glad to be sitting down after working all day. Obviously weary, thinking: "I am just going to have to pull off and take a little nap to refresh my brain before something really bad happens out here on the interstate highway."

I have a completely untested, unproven theory about the cause of sudden onset, dangerous sleepiness while driving: re-breathing. In a closed up vehicle full of carbon dioxide, you are not getting enough oxygen in your system to keep your brain alert. Not as bad as breathing exhaust fumes, and filling your blood stream with carbon monoxide, but certainly not beneficial when you run off the road into a tree or oncoming semi. When you crack the window open to get fresh air in the cabin, you generally find yourself becoming more alert and less drowsy.


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