Phobias

Last month, I listened to this story from NPR with great interest. See, I have two secret phobias. I tell everyone I am afraid to fly, which is true; but I will do it when absolutely necessary. What I really can't do, though, is sleep with 1. any appendage hanging off the bed and 2. the closet doors open. I am absolutely convinced that if I have my arm or leg hanging off the bed, I will surely get pulled down and sucked under the bed by some sort of grotesque undead. I have no idea where I got this notion, but I am CONVINCED it will occur. Therefore, you will often see me right in the middle of the bed so as not to risk any accidental appendage overhang.

I absolutely can not sleep if the closet doors are open. Now you will think I am really crazy. When I was a tweenager, I am sure that I saw ghosts in my closet. There were three of them and they looked like they were from the 1920s-kind of like old newsboys. They appeared to be around 15 and good friends. They weren't mean and looked like they were having a good time. While they weren't threatening, it was unnerving and I made sure to keep the doors closed!

Should I chalk this up to an overactive imagination? Probably. Does it still affect how I sleep today? Most certainly.