When he awoke, it was to a sound he did not know. Not a surprise or a shock - a Saturday sound, the background of someone else’s industry or entertainment. He lay still -- wondering if he was supposed to be lying still instead -- but could make little of the noise. Ultimately -- filling an extended investigation span of about three minutes -- he concluded that it was a sound he did not know. Some investigation! Some conclusion! You don’t need to tell him. Well aware of the pathetic nature of his assessment, he next struggled to decide whether to get out of bed and look out of the window -- perhaps instantly solving the mystery -- or to stay firmly ensconced and wish the wonder away.
Two minutes later, according to a log not kept, he was pulling back the top layers of his sleep sandwich and stepping onto cool linoleum. The linoleum always felt almost wet, but that wasn’t an important detail in this description, nor in the investigation -- at least thus far.
Five steps and two shuffles later, he pulled back the nondescript curtains and revealed the answer. Despite the early morning -- was it? -- success -- was it? -- he was strangely disappointed. Deflated, he shuffled backward. Enough for now, he told himself, lying and laying down.
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