Sleeping on a Foam Pad
When I moved into my very empty house in a tiny Jordanian village, my landlord gave me a bed. That was the only piece of furniture I had in my house for four days, and I don't know if it even deserves that much credit. The "bed" was a steel frame that had two steel bars dividing it into thirds.
And, at each corner, there were steel rods attached through rudimentary welding that served as the legs. I admit, it was very sturdy. But the legs were of different length, so anytime you shifted weight, the whole bed would wobble.
On top of this steel frame, my neighbor had laid a broken closet door. It's handle had been ripped off so that it was a smooth surface. The problem was that the door was five inches longer and three inches thinner than the frame, and made of flimsy wood. A thin foam pad (I don't think it could even be called a mattress, because it had no springs, was made of foam, and was three inches thick) on top of the closet door provided the cushioning.
It only took me two nights to realize that the floor would be so much more stable than a closet door balanced on top of a steel frame held up by four uneven legs. I plopped my foam pad on the floor and have slept on the floor every since. In the winter, I sleep in my sleeping bag on top of the foam pad.
The bed has retired and now serves as a storage space for my suitcases under and for my kitchen ware on top. When my landlord asked why I don't sleep on the bed he made, I told him that I was much more comfortable on the floor. His response was an enthusiastic, "You are becoming Jordanian!"
And, at each corner, there were steel rods attached through rudimentary welding that served as the legs. I admit, it was very sturdy. But the legs were of different length, so anytime you shifted weight, the whole bed would wobble.
On top of this steel frame, my neighbor had laid a broken closet door. It's handle had been ripped off so that it was a smooth surface. The problem was that the door was five inches longer and three inches thinner than the frame, and made of flimsy wood. A thin foam pad (I don't think it could even be called a mattress, because it had no springs, was made of foam, and was three inches thick) on top of the closet door provided the cushioning.
It only took me two nights to realize that the floor would be so much more stable than a closet door balanced on top of a steel frame held up by four uneven legs. I plopped my foam pad on the floor and have slept on the floor every since. In the winter, I sleep in my sleeping bag on top of the foam pad.
The bed has retired and now serves as a storage space for my suitcases under and for my kitchen ware on top. When my landlord asked why I don't sleep on the bed he made, I told him that I was much more comfortable on the floor. His response was an enthusiastic, "You are becoming Jordanian!"
