I did it again. I fell asleep on the couch with half a beer in my hand. I seemed to be waking to that thought a lot lately, but that realization slipped back out of my mind as soon as it entered. Only the somewhat chilly dampness around my thigh served to remind me that the thought had even been there.

Righting the beer bottle with the last few warm swigs in it atop the coffee table, I closed my eyes again. What time did the clock say it was? I lolled my head to the side and braved the shock of the morning light again to look. It was 7:23.

The number rolled around in my head a few times, trying to find purchase. 7:23. I’m supposed to be at work at 8:00. 7:23. It’ll take me 20 minutes to drive to work. 7:23. That means I can wait five more minutes and then get up.

I jerked back to full, anxious consciousness. The clock said 7:35. Whew! Thought I’d fallen asleep again. 7:35! I was fully awake now. I gotta get dressed and get out of here. There’s no way I’m not going to be late now. I dressed as quickly as I could. I pulled on the day before yesterday’s jeans and scrambled through the laundry, still in a pile on my bed, to find a white T-shirt that would not show a design through my uniform shirt. Socks, why don’t I ever match my socks when I finish the laundry?

Stopping off in the bathroom to rub a little toothpaste along my gums, I raced out the door and locked it. 7:42. I got halfway down the steps. My wallet! Running back up, I fumbled the key back into the lock and left it hanging there as I dashed about the apartment looking for my wallet. At least I didn’t get halfway to work before I remembered. I would not be able to drive through the gate without an ID. My wallet was on the coffee table. Oh, yeah. I woke up and pulled it out because it was uncomfortable.

The car’s clock said 7:48, but I knew it was a couple of minutes fast. I’m only going to be a few minutes late, thank God. Calming a little, I put the car in gear and headed to work. No time to warm it up today. It’ll just have to deal with it. Not having been properly warmed up, the car took a few hundred yards before it would run quite right, but it was faster than sitting and waiting for it.

God I hate driving to work.... Why does every bloody idiot in Southern California decide to take a leisurely drive while I’m on my way to work...? Can’t she see I’m in a hurry....? Who the hell does this guy think he is...? Get the hell out of my way...!

The guard at the gate glanced at the base sticker on my windshield and leaned over to look at my ID. He waved me through. 8:06. I am going to catch it for sure -- the shop’s still 5 minutes away. I never drove above the posted limit on base by more than a mile or two. The Nazi base cops will be all over me if I speed now. God, the Chief’s gonna ride me all day. This is the third day this week I’ve been late!

8:15. I got to the changing area without running into my Chief Petty Officer but the Second Class gave me one of those looks and made a show of looking at his watch. At least he didn’t say anything, the jerk. I stripped off my jeans and pulled on my dungarees, leaving my T-shirt on underneath it. I now noticed with some pleasure that the T-shirt I’d chosen so hastily had a rude comment about the President on it. I love wearing this shirt under my uniform!

For the first time that day I was calm enough to notice the headache. I grabbed three aspirins out of the bottle in my locker and went to find my coffee cup. God, I feel really bad. Oh, well, a couple of cups of coffee and I’ll be ready to go to work. Halfway to the coffee and a bit of relief, I got pigeon-holed by my First Class.

"Petty Officer Third Class Jones. Running a bit late today were we?"

"Yeah, sorry, Larry. I’m having one of those lifetimes."

"Well, it’s a good thing the Chief’s not coming in until 9:00 today. If I were you, I’d stay out of sight when he gets here. You look like hell and you smell like a brewery."

I do not! What an asshole. What does he care if I have a few drinks when I’m off-duty? He’s on my ass every day, and for what? Cause I like to have a little fun when I’m not in this hellhole of a shop he’s running.

"Yeah, okay."

I stopped in the bathroom again and made room for the coffee. After splashing some water on my face, I took a close look at myself. No way I look hung over. My eyes are red every morning. I don't look any different than I do getting out of the shower, what with the water being so hard. I filled a cupped hand with enough water to get the aspirins down and resumed my quest for caffeine. Making my way down the hall, I greeted a number of people who seemed inordinately cheerful for such an ungodly hour, but I tried to be friendly in return. Zero-dark-thirty and these twits are happy to be at work. I really need to get back on the night shift. I had my coffee cup, which would soon be full, and Chief wasn’t coming in for another half-hour. Life is bearable, despite it all.

9:24. The Second Class had wanted me to work on Flight Data Computers, but I hated those -- too much work involved -- so I got him to put some Airman on them and give me Transmitters. I wanted to work by myself. The Transmitter test program frequently ran a couple of hours without a stop, so I could read my book and try to avoid being bothered for most of the day. Now on my third cup of coffee, I was feeling pretty well human again when the Chief came in and walked directly to my work station.

"Petty Officer Jones, I had to deny your request chit for special liberty next week. Airman McAfee’s wife had her baby yesterday so he’s taking leave for the next week and a half. I can’t afford to have both of you gone the same day. I know you said you need to get your car worked on, so if you want a day off the week he comes back, put in another request chit and I’ll see what I can do."

"Aw, Chief, I already had an appointment for that day." To go to Tijuana and gamble at Caliente, but he doesn’t need to know that. "Isn’t there any way I can keep Tuesday?"

"No, Petty Officer Jones. I can’t be that shorthanded, we’re short on bodies in this shop as it is. I’m sorry. I’m sure they’ll give you another day -- just let me know when and I’ll give you top priority."

"Okay, Chief. Thanks anyway." Damn! How am I going to explain this to Rochelle? She already took off work Tuesday so we could go. Why did McAfee’s kid have to be born at the most inconvenient possible time for me?

12:18. The day’s half over. Cool. I got permission and signed out for lunch with Hoffman. Once we were outside, I asked him about the current Big Deal in his life. "Any news on your case, man?"

"No, I’m still trying to get out of going in front of the Captain but I don’t know yet if it’s gonna work. If I end up in front of him, it’s an Other-Than-Honorable Discharge for sure."

"Dude, you popped positive on a urinalysis. How do you plan to get out of Captain’s Mast?"

"Well, I don’t want to say too much about it while it’s still up in the air, but I almost have the Nazis convinced that I didn’t do anything to my urine sample. They think I dipped it in the toilet."

"Really! Wow, I’m impressed. That’s a real piece of work!"

"Tell me about it. They’re considering bringing charges against the Second Class who was observing that test for Dereliction of Duty. But he’s got two Good Conduct Medals and a couple of Commendations, so I’m hoping they’ll let me off easy to keep from having to screw up his career."

"Sounds like you’re getting a lucky break. I wish I could get one. I still need a new room-mate and Chief just put a big old ‘No’ on my request to have next Tuesday off, after Rochelle and I already made plans to go to TJ and gamble."

"Well, like I said, it’s still up in the air, so keep it to yourself, okay?"

"Yeah, sure. I won’t say anything. I hope you get off. We’ve lost half a dozen people to whiz quizzes already this year. If we lose any more, I’ll never get another day off!"

12:59. After we ate, we went back to work. I took my work station back over from the new female Airman and she went back to whatever they’d had her doing when I went to lunch.

Christ, just look at all that scrolly writing in my nice, neat logbook. Hold up! She actually tested this machine three times while I was gone! I’m gonna have to say something to her about working so hard. She’ll make the rest of us look bad.

Oh well, if her notes are right, I know which card to replace now. It’ll take right up until quitting time to test it, then I’m home free - and I’ll have fixed a box today to boot!

3:38. I finished wrapping the newly repaired Transmitter in bubble wrap and filled out the card for the drones in Supply. The night shift was beginning to arrive. Just in time. I can write my passdown for the night shift, and I’ll be out of here!

4:22. I stopped at the 7-11 near my apartment and got my usual 12-pack of Miller Genuine Draft and a pack of Camel Lights. I knew the guy behind the counter, but could never remember his name. I just joked with him while he rang me up and went on home. I love being home from work by 4:30 in the afternoon. It almost makes getting up at dawn worth it.

There were no messages on the answering machine. Good, no damned bill collectors trying to get hold of me. I changed into my swimsuit, popped a few beers into a cooler with some ice and headed to the apartment complex’s Jacuzzi. Settling down on the edge with my book, a beer, and a full pack of cigarettes, I eased my lower legs into the water and opened my book. There was a girl -- probably some Airman Apprentice’s wife by the look of her -- sunbathing, but she was overweight and reading some romance novel, so I didn’t pay much attention to her.

6:41. I finished the last beer I’d brought with me, and a bunch of redneck junior sailors were starting to congeal around the hot tub, so I gathered my stuff and went back to my apartment. I had the place to myself since my room-mate had been given his Other-Than-Honorable. He had even more trouble than I did about being late to work. At least I can keep myself from getting kicked out, even if I do have trouble getting up in the morning.

I liked living alone, but paying all that Southern California rent was getting harder and harder. If I don’t find a room-mate soon, I’m going to have to move back into the barracks with all those teenage jerks. I decided to worry about it later and dried off. I hadn’t had a shower that morning, so I took one now to wash off all the chemicals the manager put in the Jacuzzi.

7:16. Back in my jeans and T-shirt and feeling the best I’d felt all day, I flipped on the TV to Headline News and opened another beer. Halfway through the next news cycle, the phone rang. Probably my mother, knowing her. It’s been five days since she called, she’s about due. It was her. She wanted to know something about my auto insurance so I told her what she wanted to hear -- she doesn’t need to know I’d used the money she sent me for my bills -- and got off the phone as quickly as I could. Why does she have to meddle in my business all the time. She treats me like a damned 14 year old.

8:56. After a couple more times through the day’s news, I turned the TV to Mute and surveyed the refrigerator. I’ve only got three or four beers left, I’d better go get some more before it gets any later and the cops are all out.

9:23. I put the new 12-pack in the refrigerator, got a fresh one from the earlier box, and grabbed a plate. Dinner tonight was Taco Bell, conveniently located across the street from the 7-11. There wasn’t likely to be anything different on Headline News, so I put in a CD and read my book while I ate, leaving the TV on mute.

10:58. A movie I liked was coming on HBO, so I turned the mute on the TV off and put my book on the back of the couch. I stretched out comfortably. I had everything I needed. My beer was propped against my leg and the ashtray was just an arm’s reach away on the coffee table, right next to my wallet.