In the morning Finnegan awoke late. The Grandfather clock in the hallway was chiming eight o'clock. His alarm was set to go off at six. He checked his alarm clock and the usual red digital numbers were not there. The clock was dark. He reached for his cell phone and he had to stretch all the way across the nightstand to grab it. It was off, too. He didn't remember shutting it off but he must have, he reasoned.
He climbed out from under the covers and slid his feet into his slippers. Then he padded out to the hallway to check the time. It was eight o'clock. He had overslept for the first time in a decade. And he had not even been drinking.
He checked the cord on the alarm clock and followed it back to where it was plugged in under the nightstand. All was as it should be. But there was no power. He unplugged it and tried another plug. Nothing.
He found the electrical panel in the basement and opened it up. Sure enough the switch to his bedroom was thrown. He pulled it all the way down and then pushed it back into the on position. He heard the sharp click and felt the proper tension on the switch as it gave way to making electrical contact.
Back upstairs the alarm clock was blinking 12:00 off and on. He sat down to reset it. He checked the batteries that were supposed to kick in if the power went out. Apparently they needed replacing. The battery compartment was empty. He did not remember taking them out but anything was possible. He would have to remedy that situation for the future. He turned his phone back on and got the correct time so he could set the alarm clock correctly. Satisfied, he went to get his shower. He was late but he was still going to do what needed to be done. He needed a shower.