Gimme a Break

By Chester Campbell

Last week was Spring Break time in the schools around here. Some systems take the week before Easter, but I suppose the Metro Nashville folks were too afraid the ACLU would jump them if they gave a row of holidays just before the Day of the Resurrection. It might look like they were favoring Christianity over Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Muslimism—is that a word? Anyway, you get the idea.

Our live-in grandson attends a Christian private school, so what the ACLU thinks is no concern of ours. But most private schools follow Metro’s calendar to keep things nice and neat. As a result, we had Spring Break last week like everybody else.

The break was that we got to sleep late every morning instead of getting up at the crack of dawn. By the way, you may not realize it, but dawn actually does not crack. I have listened on several occasions just to be sure. It slips in on little cat feet like Sandburg’s fog.

We were quickly spoiled by getting up past 8:00 a.m. I’m usually in bed by eleven at night, or shortly thereafter, so I stored up several extra hours that I’m preparing to give back this week.

When I rolled out of bed this morning—well, scooted would be a bit more accurate—to put on the coffee pot, it was pitch dark outside. Have you ever seen pitch? If you’ve seen tar, you have. And it’s pretty doggone black. It was just getting decently daylight by the time I pulled my chair up to the breakfast table.

I hate getting up early, but I accomplish a lot more in the office when I do. After I complained about too many interruptions, my wife started driving the kid to school. It isn’t that far. And when she gets back, she dutifully makes my morning cup of cappuccino. By then I’ve read emails, put a twit on Twitter and showed my face on Facebook.

But guess when I finally get around to writing my blogs? Shortly before the news at 10:00 p.m. Hint: it is now 9:47.

So this dude is done. I’ll put it up for broadcast at 12:01 a.m. and head for the living room. Spring Break is only a fond memory. But it was great while it lasted.