Music Tames the Savage Beast

The kids started school this week, so I've had to get them up at 6:30 each day. I wake up at 6:00 myself, which is just awful for me because I'm nocturnal. I mean, I really am. If I could sleep during the day, I'd just as soon stay up until 6:00 AM rather than wake up before the sun has risen. I try to adjust the best I can when I have to go to school or work, but I never feel fully myself unless I'm on a healthy schedule of staying up until 4:00 in the morning and waking up at 11:00 or so.

So I can't blame Layne for being cranky in the mornings. We normal people hate it (those bizarre bastards who actually enjoy waking up at 6:00 AM... that's just suicidal). But unfortunately, it's those bizarre bastards who rule the world, so the rest of us have to stumble out of bed with bleary eyes for three hours. And some of these bleary-eyed fellows, like my dear little cousin, get mean.

Yesterday morning, Layne did not want to get up. It took half an hour of attempts to finally get her to even open her eyes. Then she started yelling at me, "Why do you have to wake us up so early? You're stupid." Well, well, well. "Good morning, Layne, what do you want for breakfast?" "Shut up." Like she was possessed by some anti-morning demon, dressed in pajamas with her hair all matted in the back. Usually she reverts back to her friendly, nice self when her feet hit the floor, but she kept her mood all morning as we were getting ready, grumbling every second of the way.

She started eating cereal out of the box and refused any milk. Then she got mad at me because she didn't have any milk in her cereal. Then she didn't want to get dressed or brush her teeth... Finally, I got her out the door and into the car, running a few minutes late already. "Seatbelt," I said, as I started up the car. Of course, she rolled her eyes.

Then I flipped through the radio stations trying to find something good and maybe even... cheerful. The first song was something stupid, like that Bubbly song that I really, really hate, and I vetoed that. Then some people talking about boring stuff like frappaccinos at Starbucks or how bad french fries are for us yada yada yada. And then, I heard it. On the rock station I rarely listen to.


On the day I was born...


My hand paused on the radio dial. My and Layne's song. We sing it whenever we're on the highway and it comes on the radio. Was she in too bad a mood for Bad to the Bone?

... the nurses all gathered 'round...

I slowly turned in the driver's seat to look at Layne. She stared me dead in the face. After weighing the consequences, I dared to raise my eyebrows to let her know I was bad to the bone. She couldn't help it and started laughing, but she tried to be angry still. "What?"

And just like that, Layne's mood was cracked that morning. Just like all the other terrible things that come to an end.






When I walk the streets...
kings and queens step aside...