Monday Mornings

Today is Monday. At least that’s what my bleary mind leads me to believe as I force myself awake. The sun is leaking in through a split in my dark curtains as I groan and force myself up to sit. I smell flour and maple syurp and glance idly at the clock next to my bed. It reads a blaring 6:37 am. That above all else, gets me moving. I lunge to my feet, tripping as my legs tangle in my sheets. Another precious minutes goes by as I cradle my head that had just seconds ago connected with the corner of my crowded desk. I can already feel the bruise forming; it’s gonna be a colorful one. 1

Even with my head throbbing, I push myself to my feet, being careful to shed my sheets first and trundle my way into the bathroom and jerk the shower on. It has to have been the quickest shower I have ever taken. Another look at the clock shows that it is now 6:43. At this point in time I test out a new idea. Is it possible to dry ones hair and apply makeup at the same time? The answer is a definite no as I smear eye liner all the way to my eyebrow. Lovely, I roll my eyes before washing my face to try and get the black line off. It works, yet now it is 6:46.2

I decide to try my luck with the makeup on the bus and rush downstairs. My mother and brother look up and their eyes go wide. My brother snickers and points to my outfit and upon inspection I notice it consists of a everything, except my jeans. Great, could this get any worse? Yes, it could, I remind myself as I swear I just heard my bus drive by. There is no way I am going to get to school on time. I have a huge test in English today too!3

Quickly I rush back upstairs, tripping on a step as I do, and grab pants, shoving my legs into them as I try to hope back down the slick, wooden stairs. Again, my socks cause me to slip and slide down three steps on my rump. Great, I have to remember to count my bruises tomorrow. I slip on my beat up shoes and grab my messenger bag and rush to the kitchen. Without glancing at my family, I stuff two pancakes in my mouth, and grab two more.4

“Honey,” my mother’s voice causes me to pause. I turn to see a confused look on her face as well as an amused one on my younger brother’s.5

“Waa?” I ask through a mouth full of food. 6

“Where are you going?”7

My eyebrow rises and I hold up my backpack, indicating, “School.”8

My brother bursts out laughing as my mom purses her lips. “Honey…”9

“Waa om? Y goo to go.”10

“Today is Sunday.”