Monkey Paradise [Short Short #120] (1490 characters)

(One sheep, two sheep, three sheep...)

I was wide awake in bed in the middle of the night. The digital clock on the side table showed 2:00 AM. I work in the sales department of a management consulting firm called "Smart Consulting." However, my performance has not been good lately.

Perhaps because of that, sleepless nights have continued for the past few weeks. With a groggy head from lack of sleep, work doesn't progress either. So, my performance drops further, and I can't sleep again. I had fallen into a vicious cycle.

With bloodshot eyes, I was looking for a way to cure my insomnia. Massages, acupuncture, supplements, sleeping pills—I tried everything I could get my hands on. But none of them worked.

(Four sheep, five sheep, six sheep...)

Desperate, I decided to cling to a childish method. I imagined a wide pasture and pictured sheep jumping over a fence one by one.

"It's no use. I can't sleep..."

I had no choice but to go to the living room in my pajamas and turn on the TV.

While I was resting my chin on my hand and channel surfing, a late-night program caught my eye. It was a typical show where a female announcer visits and reports on secret hot springs in various places.

"Oh, look! There's a cute guest already inside!"

The female announcer, who was visiting a hot spring deep in the mountains, was pointing at a wild Japanese macaque. It was an old monkey whose fur had turned almost completely white. As I watched it soaking in the hot water looking so comfortable, I suddenly had an idea.

I had heard that counting sheep is done because the English words "sheep" and "sleep" sound similar. If so, there is no need to count "one sheep, two sheep" in Japanese, is there?

I closed my eyes and imagined monkeys gathering one by one at a hot spring in the snow-covered mountains.

(One monkey, two monkeys, three monkeys...)

Ah, this is nice. This rhythm is better too. While resting my chin on my hand in the living room, I started counting monkeys.

(Four monkeys, five monkeys, six monkeys...)

The imaginary monkeys kept gathering, and gradually the hot spring became crowded. The multiplied monkeys were noisy, going "ook, ook." Moreover, perhaps because it was in my imagination, I could understand what the monkeys were saying.

"Nothing beats a hot spring for recovering from fatigue. This is the only thing that wins."
"You said it."

Furthermore, a fight broke out between the monkeys for a trivial reason.

"Hey, you bumped into my shoulder just now. Apologize."
"What did you say?"

This was just like a group of middle school students on a school trip. It ruined the hot spring.

(Please, just be quiet!)

I held my head while soaking in the imaginary hot spring. What a disaster. I was finally about to fall asleep. Then, someone next to me gently tapped my shoulder.

"Child of man. You seem unsettled."

It was the white old monkey I had just seen on TV.

"Sigh. I just can't sleep."

"Hmm. From what I see, you are working too hard. Are you taking any breaks?"

"No. I'm busy, you see..."

"That won't do! Humans have something called paid leave, don't they? You should force yourself to take it and go on a trip for about a week."

"Hahaha... you're joking."

"I am not joking. If you ruin your health, you'll lose everything!"

"..."

"As for the destination, let's see. This hot spring would be good. I will always be waiting for you here."

I woke up with a start. It seems I had been dozing off in the living room for nearly an hour. Perhaps because I had been resting my chin on my hand, my cheekbone was throbbing with pain. But I had a pleasant feeling, as if I had been soaking in a reclining bath.

"Maybe I'll try taking some time off."

That night, I was able to sleep deeply for the first time in weeks.