Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

Arshid Chowdhury has invented something called a sleep pod, a high-tech structure that can be seen in several airports around the country. Crawl into the enclosure and you can catch 40 winks for around 20 bucks, or about 50 cents a wink (before we all got so politically correct, I’d have made a funny joke about my reputation of innocently, and inexpensively, flirting with the ladies).

Chowdhury’s pods have encountered some problems. Many customers have trouble nodding off while nesting. Some travelers just stare into space with their eyes wide open, something most people can already do at their place of employment and actually get paid for it.

Mr. Chowdhury also writes a blog, another fool-proof way to put people to sleep quickly. His newest entry just last week has an intriguing title: “My wife and I slept in a cave for 10 years.”

Wow, talk about the bear necessities!

Apparently, AC and his wife bought a new home several years ago and discovered it had a windowless, soundproof den tucked away inside. The Chowdhurys then labeled this their sleep cave, although the police have since told the Chowdhurys that the former owners had called it their meth lab.

AC wanted to see what would happen if the couple slept in a room that was pitch black and totally silent. Of course, they could have just slept in their own bedroom and pulled the shades, but that would have made their blog seem even less interesting, as if that were remotely possible.

The Chowdhurys have slept in complete darkness since 2007 but admit there are drawbacks. First, the couple has overslept for all nine jobs they’ve been fired from over the past 10 years. Plus, Mrs. Chowdhury was a morning person who used to gleefully bound out of bed when she awoke, bolting for the front door, eager to start her day. This is tough in a sleep cave. Neighbors had a lot of questions for Mr. Chowdhury about his wife’s frequent head injuries.

Two years ago they had a little baby boy who’s been keeping them awake at night. He’s not frightened of the dark so much, but the bats are scaring the heck out of him.