Drive All Night, Take Some Speed

I broke my ironclad rule of no coffee after 3pm. Last cup was about seven hours ago, and I could probably use another one now, but I’ve settled for Tom Waits, “Goin’ Out West.” At the right volume, and combined with the melatonin-shattering properties of a computer screen at full brightness, it’s a reasonable substitute for around 100mg of caffeine.

There’s a cold, sharp smell of smoke in the air outside—something I haven’t smelled since winter—and Waits is just now getting to the best part…or at least the most relevant part, given recent circumstances:

I’m gonna drive all night
Take some speed
I’m gonna wait for the sun
To shine down on me
I cut a hole in my roof
In the shape of a heart