Dr. Jas strikes the discordant note and speaks in favour of sleeping and rising late, a tongue-in-cheek account. A Different Truths exclusive.

Ever since I was a young child I have been force fed with the saying- Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise. However, as I grew up, I realized that my aberrant body clock was telling me to do the opposite of this- to become owlish.

I am not going to convey what time I sleep and wake up because it is unprintable. However, there are many advantages of sleeping past midnight. I act as the watchman of the house and even the colony, with meagre emoluments- eating food from the refrigerator which is taboo for me otherwise. (Thankfully refrigerators are not locked at night in our home).

I am doing a yeoman’s service to mankind by going to the terrace off and on and gazing at the sky, thus keeping a lookout for any attack by aliens on our beloved planet.

Also, I am doing a yeoman’s service to mankind by going to the terrace off and on and gazing at the sky, thus keeping a lookout for any attack by aliens on our beloved planet. At night, I can talk to myself without anyone forming opinions about me and also look at myself in the mirror to my heart’s content.

I often get requests from friends and relatives, who have to catch trains or planes in the early morning, to give them wake up calls and I happily oblige. I have even taken bath in the rain, a few times in the night, an activity which would invite disapproving stares in the day.

Sometimes I ping the call centres during late night just to keep their employees awake and thus improve their efficiency.

Sometimes I ping the call centres during late night just to keep their employees awake and thus improve their efficiency.

Finally, the most important advantage- nowadays sleeping late is a status symbol.

Even getting up late doesn’t hurt because I am my own boss and can afford to set my own time for reaching my workplace (I wish to be a full-time writer but bad financial planning during the past two decades means that I can’t have that luxury).

By waking up late I am spared of the noise of the street hawkers who are most active in the morning.

By waking up late I am spared of the noise of the street hawkers who are most active in the morning.

No one can tell me to fetch milk. I can also avoid the depression caused by observing fit people doing their morning walk in the parks.

In the morning so many people are praying to God that the lines are congested. Better to pray in the afternoon.

Therefore, I request the cocks not to look down upon the owls.

Therefore, I request the cocks not to look down upon the owls.

Photo from the Internet