Dancing in the Dark

Word to the wise: when moving your vacuum cleaner out of the laundry room to access something, don't place it in the entryway to your bedroom. Inevitably, you will forget it's there... until you decide it's time for bed. You will cross from the dark hallway into the dark bedroom, and step into the vacuum the way cartoon characters step on the forked side of a rake. You will all but dance with the vacuum in an effort to keep from falling over before you finally figure out what the heck you are dealing with, and return it upright. You will reach out towards the bedside lamp for some semblance of illumination, and stand but for a brief moment in the soft glow that now encompasses your bedroom space. But instead of silently cursing, as you normally do when you stumble into things, you start laughing uncontrollably on your bed. The cat--who was resting peacefully there before you stumbled in--looks at you like you are an absolute moron before making her exit. You and the vacuum glance at each other one more time. "Sorry." "Hey, no worries. It happens."