4 AM Blues

4 AM is an ugly hour.

Most of my 4 AM experiences were in the Army. Whether rising for KP duty or to make the last rounds of the sentry posts in Korea, 4 AM, particularly in the winter, is wretched. The warmth of sunrise is still two or three hours away. I felt utterly alone in a cold, dead world. I have avoided 4 AM ever since.

That may all change this year. Target Stores is showing a TV commercial wherein a sprightly young lady does stretches and shopping bag arm curls in eager anticipation of the store's 4 AM opening on Nov 26. Apparently, there will be bargains galore for those who storm Target's doors at an hour when the rest of the world (even our brave military) is blissfully abed.

I'm willing to give 4 AM another shot. My previous experiences with that hour have been miserable but those were in a foul-smelling mess hall or a muddy, barbed wire perimeter. Now, I'll be in a bright, cheerful store jam-packed with merchandise and surrounded by happy (and well-conditioned if the commercial is correct) shoppers.

Still, I wonder if the poor souls tapped by Target for 4 AM duty will be as enthusiastic as the shoppers. In years to come, they may look back on their pre-dawn experience with the same distaste that I do.