After a grueling day at work followed by an evening of study, my girlfriend announced that she was tired and was going to bed.

Since there was nothing worth watching on television anyway, I figured I would accompany Monica upstairs and read until I felt like going to sleep. We’d been in bed perhaps 20 minutes and I had finished two chapters of my book when I glanced over and saw Monica staring up at the ceiling.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

With a frown she said, “I can’t wind down enough to sleep. I’m still keyed up about work and studying for my final.”

The light bulb went on over my head. Though she hadn’t actually said the words, years of living together had taught me to listen for subtle clues of speech that gave me insight into what she... Read More