Spanakopita

I glance up at the clock and a green light tells me it’s 3:26 am.

All I want is that sweet relief of sleep, and not just any sleep, either.

I want that sleep where my whole body goes limp,

Dead weight in twisted and tangled formations with no signs of life.

When I wake up tomorrow, I’ll feel like I’m coming out of a prolonged coma

But step one is falling asleep.

If only it were that simple.

If only I didn’t feel that dull pressure in between two of my right lower molars

My teeth telling me that a piece of spinach is still lodged there.

There’s no pain, just a tiny tickle coming from that wilted leaf saying something like,

“Hey, I’m here”.

You know that feeling. It happens a lot with popcorn kernels.

I’ve gotten up three times already, headed to the bathroom,

Pulled out my floss and went to town on that spot,

Yet coming away each and every time empty handed.

The last attempt had me heading back to bed with a mouth full of blood.

Maybe I was a tad aggressive.

It’s crossed my mind that maybe there’s nothing there at all.

Am I going mad? Is this just the start?

How lame of a way to go mad anyways, imagining food between your teeth.

Well, if it’s not there, I just have to block it out.

I close my eyes, and try to focus on anything but my teeth,

Which of course brings all of my attention to that imaginary piece of spinach.

I glance up at the clock and a green light tells me it’s 3:27 am.