I
hold my head in my hands as I try to clear my head of the last
remnants of sleep. It’s five in the morning and after years of
having to get up early for numerous job’s, you would think I had
gotten used to it by now, but no... of course not. Finally I stand up
on my aching old knees and hobble my way to the bathroom. I look in
the mirror as I turn the lights on and see the same tired old face
draped by long dark brown hair which is liberally peppered with grey
hair and a long beard that is almost completely grey except for a few
patches of brown. What little of my face that can be seen looks like
old tanned and wrinkled leather. Slowly I move to the shower, and the
heavenly feeling of the hot water loosening up my stiff body helps me
wake up. I spend nearly forty minutes in the shower before getting
out to get dressed and head out for the day. While from the shoulders
up I look like I could be in my late sixties, from the shoulders down
the small layering of fat that the years have given me covers
mountains of muscles. I pull on a pair of ragged jeans that are more
patches than the actual original jeans along with a thick flannel
shirt over a thick t-shirt and along with a pair of old battered work
boots. On my way out I grab my jacket and gloves and make my way down
the hall and out of the building.
I
live and work in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska working the oil fields doing any
number of things the bosses tell me to. I start my day by walking
down to the diner for a quick breakfast and some coffee before I
start work. I walk in and as usual the place is packed but everyone
has learned their lesson to make sure they leave a spot for me at the
counter. Claire sees me right away and makes sure a cup of coffee is
waiting for me to sit down and the cook is already cooking my
breakfast.
