A Close Call

Dream 1.21.2018

My parents, sister, and I go out to eat at a fast-food restaurant. At one point, I try to tell my family something, but they don't listen. I talk louder to grab their attention, but they still don't hear me, so I duck my head under the table. They notice me doing this and ask why. I tell them that they weren't listening to what I had to say.

On the drive back home, my dad gets sick. My mom and I take him to the hospital. I ask my mom where my dad is. She says that she doesn't know. I look in the rearview mirror and see my dad lying in the back seat. I tell my mom that he is back there. She says to me that she knew he was back there. I get in an argument with my mom on why she didn't tell me.

In the hospital, my dad is put in a water tank, much like the bacta tank from The Empire Strikes Back. The doctors are trying to get air into my dad's lungs but are having trouble doing so. My family and I are sobbing. I explore my dad's room. I find two doorways. I open one. It opens to a stairwell leading up. I choose not to open the other door.

The doctors show us a large computer room where they are controlling the tank. Large TV monitors cover the walls. From the atmosphere in the room, I have a feeling that my dad is not going to make it. I walk to the tank in which he is submerged. I close the curtain so no one can see me. I start to pray that he will get well. I hear a man from the computer room say to another, "what is he doing out there?" Within seconds, my dad's condition improves.

My sister tells me that my dad's creatinine level was 55, and that's why the doctors were having trouble getting air into his lungs. I don't think this is right. When my kidneys failed, my creatinine level was 9. My dad walks into his hospital room using a walker, like an elder person proving his excellent health. He doesn't say anything. His hair is slicked back. Dream ends.

I wake up

IN & OUT of the Closet

Dream 4/1/2017

My mom and I stop at a fast food burger joint. We order our food from our van. Before the cashier brings our food to us, she asks us to sing a song. My mom doesn't hear her. I start talking exaggeratedly loud, "what mom, you say we should go to another restaurant?" The cashier says she will bring our food out momentarily.

Later that day, my mom and I are at the grocery store when I run into an old friend from middle school. My mom walks and talks with his mom and I talk with my friend. He doesn't talk much. I tell him how I like to write. He doesn't respond much to anything I say.

Later when my mom and me are driving home, she asks me what my thoughts were. I have no idea what she is talking about. She tells me that my friend is gay. I say that I did not know that. Dream ends.

I wake up.

Pillow Fight

Dream 2/4/17

     After a high school basketball game, I decide to follow the team to a fast food restaurant. When we finish eating, the coaches stand up and announce that it's time to load up the buses. "Only the sports team members stand up and head toward the bus," they say. 97% of the restaurant stands up. Only two others and I am left alone. Once again I am left out of the action of the moment. Story of my life. Anyway, eventually I walk out to the parking lot. On the way to my Jeep, I see a pillow that I own lying on the ground. I walk over and pick it up. Right then, my neighbor Joe walks over to me and confronts me about taking his pillow. "uh.. no, this is my pillow," I say back to him. "no man, I had that pillow like ten years ago," Joe responds. I tell him that I had it most recently, I use it for dialysis every other day. Eventually we go our separate ways, me taking my pillow with me. Dream ends.

I wake up

Running Scared

Dream 8/29/2015

I'm in a drive-thru at a fast food restaurant with my cousin, Deeje.

It's winter. Snow has blanketed the ground. Three strangers walk up to my truck. I suspect that they have had too much to drink or are on pills because one of them sticks his head in my window while the other two laugh about it. I push him out and try to drive forward. They start  throwing snowballs at me and my cousin. Snow and water drench the interior of my truck. My anger becomes too much to restrain. I rev my engine. They act like they're scared. I take off in their direction and run over the youngest of the three. He isn't dead, just badly injured.

I get scared. I fear that I am going to prison for a long time. My cousin and I forget our food and take off.

Suddenly, there is no more snow. Suddenly, we are no longer in our truck but on foot. We pass a nice sea food restaurant. Everybody knows its the best in town. Deeje says that he sees somebody that he knows in there. We enter the restaurant. I'm still afraid to be caught for my crime. Deeje finds his friends and talks with them. They are four elderly people. Deeje runs into the girls bathroom and locks it. I say, "what are you doing, having your period in there?" Then, out of the blue, Walter Matthau walks past me toward the mens room. He mumbles something as he goes but I can't make it out. Dream ends.

I wake up