{This is the seventh in a recurring series which will explore the brutally complex concept of monogomy in increasingly outlandish scenarios. We hope these will be illuminating what-if scenarios, and that they will cultivate some intense philosophical discussions around what, if anything, really constitutes cheating.}
Is It Really Cheating If:
You haven't been sleeping well for weeks. Work is stressful and you're feeling delirious after catching roughly 4 hours of sleep per night for weeks on end. 
One night, you decide to finally cash in on a free sample of Ambien. It's late and you take one with then intention of sending a few emails and then going to join your spouse/fiancé/girlfriend in bed.
Instead, you wake up the next morning in your good-looking and morally flexible neighbor's bed, naked and with her black thong wrapped around neck. You leave the panties behind, sneak back to your own residence and pretend to have slept on the couch when questioned about your whereabouts. 
Sleeping pills have been known to cause crazy actions, and even if you were an unbridled stallion in a different bed, you were still in the same zip code and don't remember anything, so . . . Is it really cheating?
-BDS
Yes. You may have a lawsuit but technically- still cheating. But you are definitely getting closer- however try explaining this one to the significant other- its a hard story to buy. even with all the research to back it up
Blogger is being such a bitch today! But this one is tricky. How do you really know you did anything with said questionable neighbor just because panties are on your head? It could have been a dress up party?
Anonymous - Lawsuits aside, it is a tough choice, eh? And I would have piles of research to back up my claims. Ha.
Jlee - Blogger sucks. Period. Beta or otherwise. And you make a good point as it also could have been a tea party gone horribly awry. But I doubt it.
What happens in the perm room stays in the perm room.
I have the out you have been looking for.
Contact me for more info!!
LOL
I always thought it was the champagne room. I could be mistaken. Ha.
I would say no. There was no intent to cheat.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
It is cheating with a little room for give...
Robert - No intention indeed. Sometimes things just happen on Ambien I've been told.
Melissa - Very true. I've used that expression many times, but hell, as long as there's room for give then you're doing OK.
While there was no intent to cheat, I don't think you can really use that as an excuse. Plus, I've taken Ambien and it works pretty quick and thoroughly, I can't imagine being able to do anything after taking that stuff.
Oh Jlee does have a valid point here. Who knows what happened if anything at all? Was the neighbour in the bed? The story does not say.
Sarcastic - Everybody reacts to things differently, so it's possible that it might even propel performance in some people. Not likely, but possible.
Miss Ash - Well, yes the neighbor was in the bed too - sans panties - which I obviously should have mentioned. Still OK?
But we still don't know what he did or did not do......so i cannot say whether this is cheating or not haha. Granted waking up in such a place with a pantiless neighbour would definately raise the eyebrow of his partner.
Perhaps this episode was inspired by this?
So instead of "Blame it on Rio" it's "Blame it on Stillnox?" Doesn't have the same ring to it.
Well I think cheating emotionally is the big deal. That is if you really did think you were sleeping with your real partner...
Hm yeah this IS a toughie.
Miss Ash - It might raise voices too. That's why if you can't remember distinctly, perhaps it doesn't count.
Julia - That's just more evidence to support a not cheating case in my mind. Thank you for the evidence.
Jlee - Not nearly the same ring, yet I still like it.
DR - A challenging one indeed. And I think the whole emotional/physical aspect leads to many ugly arguments around cheating in general. Ha.
If caught in an Ambien predicament, the best way out of it is to confess and volunteer to undergo sleep disorder testing. Or check into a rehab clinic. That one seems to work best when one does something one didn't mean to do, or later regrets...
Good move. These days, checking into rehab for virtually anything seems to be a catch-all for getting out of trouble.
Its only cheating if you know its wrong. If there is a feeling of guilt, its cheating.
But a wise man once said "In Jersey anything's legal, as long as you don't get caught."
WhatIgot - I think the guilt angle is a good point, and that Jersey saying could probably be used for many a situation.
Slopmaster - The only reasonable thing is to make damn sure the neighbor never says a word.
Yes, it's cheating. I'm so far behind on blog reading this week...
Work and other commitments always get in the way of the important things, eh?
Just a bit.... : )
If you can't remember, than I say no. Who can prove if you busted a nut or not, right?
Heh
Symplyamused - You have to make time for this site - it's always worth it. Ha.
Sherry - I could make a proof is in the pudding joke, but I won't. Maybe I just did.