For Whom the Bell Tolls

"In the town where they first installed bells on clock towers that rang every hour, it wasn't until everyone went to sleep that they discovered it wasn't such a great idea."

I thought of that while lying in bed one day, listening to the disagreeable rattling of the bell tower that rests on top of a nearby church. From 7 AM until 9 PM at every hour on the hour, the chimes will ring. Five minutes after the conclusion of the last chime at 9 PM, the day concludes with a 2 minute-long, lively melodic epilogue that makes me want to drift dreamily into a peaceful slumber.

Recently I've been going out with friends from abroad who come here on vacation, so they demand that I spend one last night with them regardless of what day it happens to fall on. Since Monday I've been getting to bed at around 3-4 AM, after which I'll have to wake up in a few hours and get to work.

Sometimes I get up at the 7 AM bell, and other times I wake up with the 8 AM bell. Here's the funny part: When I hear the prelude to when the chimes begin, I prepare myself to count how many times the clock rings so I know whether or not its 7 AM or 8 AM. Once I count to 7, my heart rate swells and my body stiffens in dreadful anticipation.

When my worst fears are confirmed and I hear the clock strike its last deafening note, I feel as though the clock tower is the judge from Kafka's "The Trial", and he has just punctuated his exclamation to what will be my death sentence.

Damn you evil clock tower! Grant me one more hour of freedom!