Speedboat / Swamp

Wednesday night

Dream 1: Speedboat

My brother Andrew had rented a serious boat, which was reputed to get up to 700 miles per hour, and had invited several people to accompany him on a day cruise. The boat was white, with two levels, and looked as if several people could comfortably spend an afternoon deep-sea fishing from the stern. But today we wouldn't be fishing -- Drew was the captain, and he had other ideas. He stood at the wheel and let the engines rip. I stood in front, along with Drew's father-in-law, Steve W., and leaned into the wind, feeling the awesome power as we cut through the water. In fact, I wondered whether or not I should be tethered, in case of a mishap. We were cruising along at break-neck speed through some sort of channel which had an angled concrete embankment on the right side, almost like a big curve in a racetrack. The embankment was soon to come in handy. Captain Andrew was heading straight for a large tree which was growing in the middle of the channel. We turned and called out to him, but the boat was really moving, and it seemed to be too late to avoid smashing into it. Thinking quickly, Drew came up with an evasive maneuver; he simply cut the wheel hard to the right, swerved the motorboat up onto the concrete. He swung around the tree and back into the water, and on we went.

Dream 2: Swamp

My family was walking around on the ground near a swampy area, surrounded by large cypress and mangrove trees. I left my parents on the ground, and my wife and I decided to take a flight in a small, propeller-driven plane, in order to survey the scene from the sky. I was at the controls, and could see Mom and Dad down below, and my little brother was down there, too. He was blond, and about 10 years old. Our plane was climbing when I noticed that I wasn't wearing my seat belt. I asked my wife to take the wheel (which was large and round, like a the steering wheel of an old bus) and help me land the plane while I worked on getting myself and my strap(s) together.

*****

Dream 1: Speedboat

I think that Andrew and I have been on a boat together on comparatively few occasions, and I don't think I've ever seen him steer a motorboat. On a few occasions we've tried to steer the same boat with oars, usually with hapless results. Our neighbors Jack and Hilda used to have a boat, and allowed me to steer during the trip back on Kentucky Lake one time a few years back. That was a treat.

Dream 2: Swamp

My family spent a decent amount of time in and around swampy areas in South Carolina in the 1970s, so some of those scenes may have popped up in this dream. I've never flown a small plane, and have no desire to do so.

I have no younger brother, or sister, for that matter.