This story was sent in by Alex from Flagstaff, Arizona. I was running on fumes the night this happened. I’d just finished a double shift at the restaurant where I work, and by the time I clocked out, it was a little after 12:40 in the morning. I still had that wired-but-exhausted feeling you get … Read more
This story was sent in by Aaron from Cleveland, Ohio. I used to work evenings at a little print shop on the west side, one of those places stuck between a laundromat and a chiropractor’s office in a strip mall that always felt a little too empty after ten at night. My shift usually ran … Read more
This story was sent in by roadwatcher88 from Portland, Oregon. I got off the bus a little after 1 a.m., later than I planned. I’d been hanging out with a couple friends in Southeast Portland, and even though we kept telling ourselves we’d call it a night, the conversation dragged on the way it usually … Read more
This story was sent in by Jenna R. from Rural Vermont. I was driving home late one night last fall, a little before midnight, taking the same narrow back road I’d used for years. It’s one of those stretches in Vermont where the trees crowd right up to the edge of the pavement, and the … Read more
This story was sent in by Derek J. from The Midwest. It was early fall when this happened, one of those nights where the air is cool enough that you can see your breath if you exhale slow. I had this habit back then of sitting on my back porch around midnight, smoking one last … Read more
This story was sent in by Brian K. from the Pacific Northwest. I had just finished a late shift at the small hardware store where I work. It was one of those closing shifts that always feels longer than it actually is. By the time I locked up, it was close to 11:45 p.m. The … Read more
This story was sent in by Claire M. from New England. I’ve lived alone since 2020, and for the most part I like it. My place is a small, older rental tucked in a quiet neighborhood that gets dark fast in the winter. By midnight, the whole street usually feels like it’s gone to sleep. … Read more
This story was sent in by Amber L. from Texas. Most nights in my neighborhood are quiet enough that I can hear the cicadas through the walls. By the time my kids are finally in bed, usually around 9:30 or so, I’m running on whatever energy is left after homework battles, dishes, and the whole … Read more
This story was sent in by Amber L. from Texas. That night had been one of the rare evenings when everything actually went smoothly with my kids. It was just after 10:30 p.m., late enough that the house finally felt quiet, but not so late that I was completely running on fumes. I remember brushing … Read more
This story was sent in by Samantha L. from Midwestern United States. I’ve lived in the same mid-range apartment building for a few years now, the kind where people actually greet each other in the hallways and bring packages in for neighbors when it rains. It’s not fancy, but it’s comfortable, and for a long … Read more