Bedtime Story (Details)
citation: Good Housekeeping, May 1959, 148(5):104-105, 149-150, 152, 154
alias: None
teaser: Some husbands have to be watched every minute — particularly late at night!
summary: Even though Iris Cutler turns up the electric-blanket for her husband's side of the bed, Mike is still cold. She's too warm. She ignores his complaints, and tries to sleep.
Mike sneaks out of bed, then slides under it toward Iris' side. He sees her hand dangling off the side of the bed, and holds it, startling her awake. Mike quickly sneaks back to his side, feigning surprise. Iris notices fluffs of lint on Mike's pajamas.
Iris gets up for a drink of water. After she returns to bed, Mike again creeps under the bed to grab Iris' hand. When he does, the hand collapses, icy cold blood spilling onto his, wetting his pajamas. Iris flicks on the light, and confronts Mike holding a rubber glove, now only partially filled with ice water.
When they both return to bed, Mike continues to complain about being cold. Iris complains about being too warm. She is now wide awake.
Mike suggests Iris needs a chocolate soda. He paints such a vivd description, Iris wants one, now. She won't accept any substitute except for Mike to go to a nearby cafeteria and bring one home for her.
Less than a half-hour later, Mike returns with two not especially well-made chocolate sodas. Nonetheless, Iris is delighted.
They reminisce their honeymoon, when they didn't care what time it was, or worry about the future, and did things on impulse. They try to sleep again.
Iris starts laughing, suddenly remembering she changed the bed sheets that morning, and must have reversed the electric blanket. Their temperature problems are caused by each controlling the other's side of the bed.
Iris' temporarily solution is to keep her husband warm herself.
words: 3,870
genre: None
similar: None
people: Mike Cutler, Iris Cutler
places: New York, NY: Fifty-Sixth Street, Fifty-Seventh Street
comments: Forthcoming