The Graveyard Shift

So after a year or so you find yourself once again on the night shift. Not that you particularity like or dislike the night shift but there are some things that just have to be done when there are the minimal amount of people like road works or burst water mains repairs or train repairs etc.

You leave work early to ensure that you adhere to the legislation on minimum hours between shifts and head home for some sleep. But you know you are not really going to sleep you are just going to find something to do that you have been putting off for a while. At 21:30 when everyone is heading off for bed, you head out for work. No commuter madness as everyone is heading in the opposite direction. Its just you, the driver and few others in the train. You get a choice of seats which totally confuses you. Usually you are scrambling for anything that is free.
The shift itself passes quickly. There are hardly any phone calls, no meetings apart from the site briefing at the start of the shift, no interruptions and so you get on with things. You get back home around six and you flop down on the bed and fall asleep. The thing about it is, the night shift isn't that bad. Its the aftermath that's the issue.

6:40am the alarm goes off because you forgot to turn it off. You hear the neighbours zooming off to the station to catch the 7:05. You rollover and fall back asleep.
08:13 you are rudely awaken by the dustbin men. Its a Friday you say to yourself and so you have to get up and put the bin out. You normally do this on your way out to work.
08:53 awaken once again by a lorry only this time is the recycling boys. You never knew bottle crushing could be so loud. You pull the curtains as the sun is shining right into your face.
09:46 you hear the post man trying to stuff your letters through the letter box. You roll over again.
10:16 your blackberry starts vibrating. People in the office have started working in earnest and all those emails are going to continue.
10:35 a knock on the door, you ignore it but it continues. You get to the door and it only the guy from parcel force wanting you to sign for something for your neighbour.
11:20 house phone goes. Someone trying to sell you home insurance. You could disconnect the phone but what if there was a family emergency.
12:30 you get up because you cant seem to sleep no more. There is so much background noise you are unsure where its coming from.
13:13 After a shower and some breakfast you still feel tired but try to watch some TV and realise that daytime TV is really boring so you head off back to sleep.
14:37 More nuisance phone calls, blackberry vibrating, text messages so you switch everything off and try to sleep.
14:57 You are still wide awake
15:21 You switch on the TV and watch some comedy on the paramount channel
16:30 You try to sleep again but the school kids are back and you can hear them screaming and shouting.
17:17 you are awaken by some argument happening in the street.
17:43 You head off to the shops to pick up something for dinner.
19:08 You get back after getting stuck in traffic and make some dinner.
20:00 You catch a few soaps
21:00 you start getting ready and feel really tired cos you haven't slept all day. You take a long swig of red bull and head for the station for another grave yard shift.