As bombs rip apart half the globe, a sense of normalcy begins to settle in. After work, I unpack and clean; soon this house will be a home. I go downstairs where my roommates are watching some infernal noise on MTV. Contemplating preparing something resembling food, I ask if they are hungry. “I can eat something, what were you planning on cooking?” Forgetting that I bought rice and spinach, I thought of a potato and lentil soup, adding carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. B has a nice, large cutting board but my knives are sorely lacking. The kitchen is small, cramped, but I have to make due using the washer and dryer tops as extra counter space. It takes over an hour to prepare the soup so I join my companions in watching some television. The Live 8 concert is on. I ignore most of the lineup but Bjork comes on at one point, adding some cohesion to our attentions. As the soup finishes cooking, I lay out some cloth napkins and ceramic bowls on the table. B and I share some wine while C has some diet soda. We change the show to Jeopardy; I get most of the clues. As C gets up from the table, I joke: “Did you ask to be excused?” Catching the joke, B asks to be excused as she gets up a few moments later. I finish the bottle of wine and have a few shots of Jager. I wind up puking at about 8pm. I haven’t vomited in a while, but I have to go to sleep early and misjudged how much alcohol I need to knock me out. Feeling sick, I resort to putting the handle of my toothbrush down my throat to trigger my gag reflex. My expulsion is bright red from the merlot; in a panic I think my insides are dissolving. Regardless, I manage to find my way to the land of Nod. [From Genesis 4: 15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. 16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.] In such a drunken slumber, I don’t remember my dreams; I only remember my alarm (for now on the buzzer to make sure I get up. I can’t stand the buzzer; I prefer to be gently woken by some inoffensive sythpop.) East of Eden, indeed; even Nuit turns her eyes.