I had agreed to meet Annie by the red ball chair in readers' row just inside Terrell Library at 10 pm. I thought I was going to be late but managed to walk up the ramp just as the bells in Finney began to toll. The Commons was hopping as usual at that hour, but the noise level seemed lower than usual. Was Azariah's out of coffee, I wondered, so my peers were all under-caffeinated and more subdued than usual? Had I missed a big news story that was causing everyone to be super reflective and quiet? Had I woken up, à la Rip Van Winkle, three weeks later in the midst of mid-terms?

Maybe it's me who needs a large Chai Latte – yes, I could really use one. I'll work on that as soon as I touch base with Annie.

I looked around but didn't see Annie anywhere. No one was sitting in the ball chair so I decided to wait for her there. I suppose that I must have dozed off because before I knew it I heard Security make the library closing announcement. Darn, Azariah's was already closed so I missed my chance to get that Chai Latte. And why didn't Annie show up? Surely she would have woken me up. I was sitting there, well sleeping I guess, in full sight of anyone who walked by. No evidence of sleep drool, thank God! I should have called her, but my phone battery was inexplicably dead.

 

The next day I called Annie as soon as I woke up. She sounded upset and asked me why I hadn't shown up to meet her in readers' row the night before. I told her that I had and how I fell asleep in the red ball chair. Then there was just silence.

-- Hello, you still there Annie?

-- Yes, I'm still here.

-- What's the problem?

-- I was waiting for YOU in the red ball chair.

-- What are you talking about? There wasn't anyone sitting in the chair.

-- Excuse me, but there was...ME.

--What the F*** are you talking about? The chair was empty, I sat in it and fell asleep and didn't wake up for almost two hours.

-- That's exactly what happened to ME! I got to the library about 9:45, sat in the red ball chair to wait for you, fell asleep and didn't wake up until the closing announcement was made by Security just before midnight.

-- I can't deal with this. Let's just pretend that last night never happened. And I'm never sitting in that chair ever again!

-- Me neither! Next time we'll meet in Azzies!

-- Agreed!