You know you're going to have a bad day when it starts out while you are still dreaming. Just before the alarm clock goes off and startles you into the waking nightmare that will be today.

I shared a very small bedroom with my two sisters. Some of you may recall my fear of one sister and her desired ability to spin her head around like in the Exorcist. Anyway, we had bunk beds and I slept on top. For some reason the other two never heard the alarm so it would continue to screech until I got up to turn it off. One morning it went off while I was still in the middle of a bad dream. I wouldn't have minded except that it caused me to jump out of bed quicker than I normally would. Unfortunately, my foot fell asleep during the night and as I jumped down onto the ladder I could not feel it. One foot went between the rungs while the other was still on the bed. The ladder came loose and swung out towards the single bed that my OTHER sister slept in. I landed on top of her. I was just twisted enough to cause the wooden ladder to strike her knees and my head to strike the bedpost. She woke up screaming from the surprise of pain. The Exorcist sister woke up with a roar. BUT...she did shut off the alarm clock as I untangled from the ladder and from the crying child in the bed that I landed on.

My mother was not accustomed to such a racket and did not appreciate having to get up to investigate the screaming and yelling. The final high pitched yell was her threat, which managed to silence us but did cause the three of us to get up, swearing under our breaths.

My Exorcist sister had a habit of selling my clothes to her friends. I could not prove it but they always seemed to have outfits just like mine, while mine couldn't be found. Needless to say, I could not find what I wanted to wear that day. Of course an argument started, and it ended with her saying "You can't get blood from a stone" and my reply, "Think not?"

Getting ready for school was always an issue because there were six kids and only one bathroom. Sometimes I am unlucky enough to be the last one in. On those days, if I am not really careful, I miss the school bus. Ex. Girl can be seen looking out of the back window waving good-bye with a smirk on her face. That would also be the day I would have to ask Mommy Dearest for a ride to school. Valium or not...she wasn't ever agreeable but at least it got everyone out of the house for most of the day.

Then you get to school and realize that you're wearing unmatched socks. And you forgot your gym clothes (automatic zero) and you have no money for lunch. The day just gets worse from there. Every now and then I would see my sister in the hall with her friends. Their clothes looked nice and familiar. None had mismatched socks though. I remember the nightmare I was having as the alarm clock went off. I was in school, between classes, and I could not get my locker open. I wasn't even sure it was mine. I would run from floor to floor trying to find a familiar number. When I thought I had found my locker, I couldn't remember the combination...and the bell was ringing. The bell was actually the alarm clock.

To this day I am extremely time-sensitive. If I am on time...that means I am LATE. I cannot fathom LATE. Just thinking the word makes me panic. I need to arrive at any given destination with at least 20 minutes to spare. So in my opinion...You are having a bad day...when you are only just on time.

Learn more about this author, T.L. Winters.
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