December 15, 2003
Old Hat
Sometimes, when driving around late at night, I find myself looking at the darkened windows of the houses that line the street. I imagine the residents asleep and cozy in their beds, with faint smiles on their faces. The snow and Christmas lights make the image especially precious this time of year.
Last night, though, I became suddenly aware that the sleeper in my mind's eye is always the same: a chubby black man in his late thirties or early forties, with a mustache, in pajamas, and wearing one of those pointy sleeping hats with a little red ball on the end.
Questions filled my head: why, of all things, would I imagine someone in a sleeping hat? Why did people once wear sleeping hats, and why don't we any more? Does anybody own a sleeping hat? Where can I buy a sleeping hat? Is there a term less cumbersome than "sleeping hat"?
If you have any information, please let me know.
Posted by cradle at December 15, 2003 10:27 PMPeople wore stocking caps when they slept because it was cold, and their heads were not under the blankets. Now we have much better climate control, so there's not so much demand.
Posted by: Andrew at December 16, 2003 10:22 AMAlso, you dream of this large black man because of your latent homosexuality.
Posted by: Andrew at December 16, 2003 10:23 AMOh crap, you've been smoking the same stuff Cliff has. In no time you will be dreaming about multi-poded alien creatures destroying Hyattsville, and eating sushi.
Posted by: Tom at December 16, 2003 07:37 PMDavid, while driving around late at night, you should only be diverting your attention from the road to intermittently check your vehicle's instrumentation.
Posted by: Cliff at December 18, 2003 11:50 PMDoh - a "nightcap." That's what it's called..
Posted by: Andrew at December 27, 2003 12:51 PM