Cover Story

It was the principal of the thing is what it was.

This morning, laying in bed, I had asked Michelle what she wanted to do today and whether, as we had spoke about she wanted to go to town. She did, which was fine, but the thing was she stole the bed covers. And as you realize, this means war.

All I wanted was a stretch under the warm covers and refused to get up until I did so. Childish? Defiantly. Stubborn? Genetically.

So I lay for a good 10 - 15 minutes refusing to move with only a small blanket, which I had retrieved from the floor, covering me until that too was taken away. Another 10 minutes passed as I lay coverless on the bed in my usual boxers and T-shirt ensemble, satisfied that in the end Michelle will be forced to give back the covers.

However, my opponent was far caftier and merciless than I had first imagined, and soon, after a short tussle, I was completely exposed to the elements of the cold morning; naked.

At this point, a lesser man would have admitted defeat and got up, and I would be lying to say the thought never crossed my mind. But then I had a revelation hit me; the bed had been striped of the covers but not the sheet. The sheet was a stroke of genius, If I do say so myself. With one side attached to the bed and the other cocooning me inside, the sheet was impenetrable. This act left my opponent with only psychological warfare at her disposal ('I'll be really annoyed if you don't get up right now!')

I was immovable but not yet victorious. The gamble was that Michelle, who was now going to leave without me, would leave without giving the covers to me (therefore securing her victory) or that she would see her leaving as an end to our war of wills and throw the covers at me as she marched out the door.

I waited in my cocoon, watching her shadow pass the bedroom door again and again while she was getting ready and nervously saw her putting her coat on and get ready to go. I closed my eyes a waited for the cold sting of failure and the slam of the door but instead was rewarded by the soft and heavy thump of victory, as my covers were released and returned to me.

Happy as I was with victory, my principals did leave me franticly running about to get ready before I missed the train that Michelle had left to catch. Winning a battle of wills is al well and good but if I had missed that train this story would not have ended with the laughter it did.