Chance Meeting / Sub Mission / How Did I Get Here?

Monday night

Dream 1: Chance Meeting

I was part of a crowd that had converged in one part of town for a special event. It may have been a concert, or a record collector's covention; I'm not sure. Anyway, while I waited for the event to start, I strolled into a small, cramped comic book store to pass the time, and I ran into my friend Gordy, his brother, Greg, and Greg's wife, Mindy. We didn't know we'd see each other there, so it was a happy surprise. Everyone was in a good mood. I was carrying a folder/notebook that contained lists of stuff that I wanted to buy. The covers of the folder were made of thick orange paper, but I'd customized them by glueing a collage of rock star photos all over them, and had sealed the covers with many layers of protective Scotch tape. Gordy looked at the folder and said something to the effect of, "That's seen alot of use, but it's gonna last forever."

Dream 2: Sub Mission

This may have been a continuation of dream # 1. I'd caught a ride home on a submarine piloted by America Ferrera, star of TV's "Ugly Betty." We were cruising along in the deepest part of the ocean, and as I peered out the windows, everything looked black. Suddenly someone pointed out that two smaller submarines were nearby. The captain realized that "our side" had sent the crafts to follow us, and to check up on our movements. I walked down the central hallway, and noticed that each stateroom included a single person studying a map on a desk, trying to figure out what to do next. One of them was Prince. America then opened a hatch in the ceiling, and a bunch of debris fell to the floor, including some long tubes. I said, "I hope those aren't torpedoes."

Dream 3: How Did I Get Here?

I was living in Missouri, and was standing in line at some government office -- it might have been the DMV. As I waited I thought to myself, "How did I end up here? I've got to go home."

*****

Dream 1:

Gordy is an old friend whom I met in the 1980s when we worked for the same book store chain in VA. We attended our share of record collector's conventions, and a few concerts, as well. He's the big comic book fan; I never really got into them, other than reading about Archie and Veronica at the barber shop.

I used to carry around a notebook that I called "The Football," named after the briefcase that always accompanies the president (supposedly that case includes the nuclear codes). My notebook contained lists of everything that I needed: phone numbers, addresses, CDs and movies I wanted to buy, etc. At one point it did have an orange cover, and I did cover it with photos of favorite singers and bands, such as Springsteen, Townshend, The Cars, The Beatles, etc. Back in high school I made some similar book covers for friends, using brown paper bags, photos snipped from rock magazines, and a roll of tape. One guy, Phil M., was a Led Zeppelin nut, so he asked me to make one for him featuring his favorite band. I don't know if he ever cracked the book, but he sure liked the cover. We used to argue over who was better, Led Zeppelin or the Beatles. I always stressed the Beatles. I've lightened up since then, and now see the Beatles and Led Zep as apples and oranges; I appreciate both.

Dream 2:

Last night I saw something on TV about Howard Hughes. He'd heard about a Russian nuclear sub that sank in the 1960s, so he financed a top secret project which included the building of a big, specialized ship which would try to haul it to the surface. The project was finally ready in the early 1970s, but when they tried to lift the submarine, it broke in half and fell back to the bottom of the ocean.

The rooms on the sub were probably modeled after the staterooms on boats used by President Lincoln as he traveled to see his generals in Virginia toward the latter part of the Civil War. I just finished the book about Lincoln that I've been reading for awhile.

I've never seen that "Ugly Betty" show, but can't avoid the commercials and print ads.

Dream 3:

I've been to Missouri a few times, and have enjoyed my visits there. This dream wasn't about Missouri, it was about Nashville. These sentiments are pretty much what I say to myself every time I get up in the morning and look in the bathroom mirror.