Into the Night

We often had sleepovers at each other’s houses – with parent’s permission and not a school night (when school was in session the following day). We rarely did a group sleepover, just one at a time, usually. I stayed over at Larry’s / Scott’s house the most, mainly because they were the closest. Bob was a quarter mile or so up the road and required a bike ride or parent transport via car. I always enjoyed staying over somebody else’s house, simply because it wasn’t my own house. Scott/Larry’s house had a particular smell to it. I can’t describe it in words. Bob’s house, as well, but not as much. Both Larry and Scott carried that odor with them, bodily. It was not unpleasant, it just was. Perhaps it was the laundry soap their mom used, or cleaning products, or some aspect of their house, I dunno. I wonder (now) if my house (and me, by extension) had a particular “smell” to it that was only apparent to outsiders.

Anyway, there was one negative aspect to sleeping over at the Scott/Larry house – there was no light at night. At all – zero, zippo, nada. I was always used to sleeping with some ambient light, however dim, so I could get my bearings when I opened my eyes. In their bedroom it was the same darkness whether my eyes were opened or closed. I found it disconcerting.