As you read in the previous post, the mental challenges increase as you start to wander through the 50s.  The temptation is to say, “Oh, I’ve always forgotten things…I’m just doing it a little more often lately.”  Sure, whatever you want to believe.

But as proof that it can happen at any age, I offer up this example of a pre-50 brain fart.

For the past several years, this unnamed co-worker has had a hard time sleeping.  So, his doctor put him on something that doesn’t exactly knock him out…but it does encourage sleep. You know, makes you drowsy and within ten minutes of taking it, you’re sawing Z’s.

It works great, as we all saw last week.

Unfortunately, while getting ready for work one day, while still in his morning stupor, he was going through the routine and accidentally took a sleeping pill.  It wasn’t but a few moments later that he realized what he had done.  The result–lumbering through an entire day, which included a client meeting, ready to fall asleep.  Drowning himself in coffee didn’t really help. Slapping himself in the face helped, but only temporarily.  It was the longest work day ever.

Towards the end of it, the effects had begun to wear off and he was finally feeling somewhat awake.  But can you imagine, as tough as some days area–going through work under the effects of a sleeping pill?

My hat is off to the co-worker.  Yeah, he’s using that hat now as a pillow.  I’m sure he’ll go home eventually.

Tim Hunter