beds vs. futons

My parents chose a futon for me over a bed when I was a teenager. At first I thought it was kind of cool, but after a few nights I realised the truth.

A) They tilt backwards. Maybe this isn't true for all futons everywhere, but every one that I've ever seen tilts back so that you're constantly being deposited up against the back. This means that when you fold it out, there is a crease in the mattress that becomes more pronounced with time, and eventually it means sleeping over a dip.

B) The mattresses are not nearly as nice as a real mattress. Some strange people like them, but I find them far too lumpy and aromatic, especially when you have several people who like to come in and sit on it during the day.

C) They don't save you space. Unless you're planning on having a couch And a bed in the same room, then a futon is going to take up at least as much (if not more) space than a twin, and nearly as much as a full-size bed.

Bottom line: I despise them with a passion generally reserved for Christmas music. Now, this is coming from a person who can sleep on the floor, in airplane seats, in a line of waiting-room chairs, or in bathtubs during hurricanes. That futon made my back hurt so bad I'd sleep on the floor every so often just to get the kinks out.

Jam it back in, in the dark.