In Times of Need

Hopefully you can all forgive the foul mood I find myself in tonight. In my sleep-deprived state, I truly have no ambition to be at the Office, or even writing, for that matter. I remember a day, back when times were simpler and some of my greatest worries in life were how many players we could find for a game of Street Hockey or what my lunch would consist of, Summer was a time for fun and excitement. Summer was for relaxing, enjoying and cramming as many activities as possible into a twenty-four hour period.

As a Night-Lifer, as I've become prone to calling myself, Summer has certainly changed. Summer Sounds, such as lawn-mowers and the shrill laughter of neighborhood Children have now become nothing more than sleep determents. Beautiful, sun-soaked days waste away while I shut myself into my narrow room and do my best to hang onto whatever Sleep may come my way.

Whoa! Easy, kid. Get ahold of yourself! I must say, I am a little bitter tonight. It would seem that the world around me is crumbling, until nothing remains but a rotting, smoldering core. It would seem, friends, that we are Doomed.

Between near-President Al Gore feeding me the gruesome details surrounding Earth's Global Warming and nineteen-year-old gang members bleeding to Death in the streets of Winnipeg, there certainly isn't much to smile about this week. Indeed, the world is engulfed in Fear; people are constantly watching over their shoulders, terrified of being a victom of the next Random Attack, if and when, in fact, they are even brave enough to leave their homes. There are Perilous times, friends. Hang onto your Seats.

All in all, I tend to count the Fear as one of my blessings. Yes, I may be cautious to set foot into a Downtown street after dark, but when I find myself at home this evening watching the puck drop on yet another Stanley Cup series, I know that I will appreciate it all the more. Fear can bring balance to people's lives...is there any feeling more relieving or relaxing than the Fear washing away like rain-water in our city's gutters? I'm sure many of you can come up with an answer to that question, but for me, having the Fear helps me truly appreciate feeling safe.

I'm lost now...where was I? Ah yes. The NHL Playoffs. Leave it to Fate to put one final Canadian hockey team in the Stanley Cup finals. That is, if you believe in Fate. If you ask me, I think the NHL commissioners know the exact percentage of their fans that come from the Great North, and the thought of losing that kind of revenue has more to do with the Ottawa Senator's "surprise" run this year than any Fate or Fortune you can concoct. Of course, that is merely my humble and paranoid view on the subject, guaranteed to be countered and scrutinized by nearly everybody in my Glorious Nation. Feel free, friends. Everybody is entitled to their opinions.

Alas, thus ends another night's thoughts. Six hours until I am able to clock out and spend the next two days wallowing in Hockey and Debauchery. Keep in mind, people, the World hasn't ended yet...it's just in a slump. In the infinite words of Steve Winwood, "When life is too much, Roll With It, Baby." Enjoy the game, friends.

Andrew Leite is a part-time writer from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. While holding down a steady job, he still delivers his witty and often insightful banter on a regular basis. Andrew writes both Fiction and Non-Fiction.