Sunday, February 29th, 2004

I’m in a hotel room with Susannah when we both notice there is broken glass on the floor. I sit down to pick the glass out of the bottom of my bare feet. Instead of glass shards, I pick out small pebbles and hard pinto-like beans out of my feet.

Later…

I give my mom a key to our house but tell her not to show up unannounced.

Later…

I’m listening to a middle-aged Italian man talk about his son becoming Jewish.

Tuesday, February 24th, 2004

I’m walking through a high school while lots of students are protesting. As I walk by some classmates, they ask if I’ll join them at 8pm for the big rally/class boycott. I tell them in a very Ferris Bueller way, “Of course.”

Later, I’m about to leave work when two women I know come in. They run a nearby brothel. I ask them what I can get that lasts 20 minutes or less (because I have somewhere to be). One of the women thinks for a bit and offers me this: “You can look through some magazine with pictures of girls getting dick and you’ll have your very own fluffer.” She tells me it’ll cost $21. I consider the idea of getting a blowjob from a pro but decline politely, saying, “It’s tempting but it’s hard for me to pay for it when I can get it free at home.” They laugh and we say our goodbyes.

I run out of the store with no pants on. I pull my t-shirt down as far as I can and head to the apartment just above the store, stepping over some people on the sidewalk. A couple is entering the apartment building and I follow them inside. I ring the doorbell of a friend’s apartment and wait. Both roommates (who I know) come to the door. I ask if I can use their shower. They point towards their bathroom but I’m already on my way (I’ve been here often). I pass another classmate of mine on the way there. He asks me if I’m going to the protest later and I tell him I am.

Later…

I wake up from having more dreams and get up to write them down. I’m in a strangely laid-out apartment where there is glass walls that allow people out in the hallway to see inside. I’m discovering this for the first time.

As I’m writing, Darius Rucker comes in from his jog. He runs around the house once and stops to talk to me.

Later, I’m in the living room sitting with lots of others in a circle. We’re all discussing poker. I ask if three hours is long enough to play poker. A few people say they wish they could play longer. I ask if anyone can make a 6pm game on a weekday. Most cannot. I also suggest that hosts continue dealing if they bust out of a game early.

Sunday, February 22nd, 2004

I’m riding a bus through an urban city in China. I notice a lot of Korean factories and steel mills. I get off and walk through a market. I stop at a stand and look at old GI Joe toys for sale. They have several small vehicles for sale. I’m tempted by the Fang helicopter set.

Friday, February 20th, 2004

I?m in a large suburban house with some family and friends. I?m trying to get a cookie tray out of a heated oven. Somehow the bottom of the cookie tray touches my left arm and leaves a burn/tattoo of its design. My arm doesn?t hurt but has a light tingling sensation. I go to Sue Noblitt who takes me into the bathroom and wraps my arm up in toilet paper. I?m sheepish about my accident.

The design that the burn left is that of a Rita Hayworth-lookalike in a gown. It?s right next to a tattoo of of another woman kneeling over a reflecting pond. The tattoo?s drawing style is turn of the century.

I sheepishly show the burn to my mom and Susannah. I say, ?Well, at least the burn matches my tattoo.? Mom suggests we take a walk outside. We walk out into the suburban night, most of the houses are dark. There are a few people out on their porches. Susannah thinks it?s dangerous but my mom says it?s alright.

Thursday, February 19th, 2004

I’m in a restaurant or grocery store with my mom. We’re talking about leaving. I notice that she’s bald down the middle of her head and ask her how long it’s been like that. She doesn’t seem to mind it.

Tuesday, February 17th, 2004

I’m just finishing up a class and getting ready to go home. I’m talking to Tamara while Lynnette listens on. I ask Tamara about her experience getting her kid into daycare. She tells me that she just showed up and got in line. I’m surprised it was so easy and figure that if she can do it, I can do it.

It’s raining outside and I’m trying to find my umbrella. I complain that my umbrella sucks and Tamara tells me not to use it. I remember that Lynnette had given me one of hers, one with a wooden duck on the end. I take it and start heading out. On my way out, I ask a European classmate if he’s leaving. He tells me he likes to stay after and study while no one else is around.

I head into the hallway but double back to the classroom for some reason. The European student is there along with another guy. A girl’s luggage sits in the back and I wonder if it’ll be secure there.

Walking down the hall, I’m passed by some rough kids. One of them skips down the stairs ahead of me. I hold the railing as I walk since the floor is wet. I wonder of the other kid is going to slip and fall.

Another guy passes me as I walk down the hall. He is a known drug dealer (and looks much older than a high school student). As he walks, he’s wrapping a rubber hose around his arm.

As I approach another stairwell, I notice the door to it is closed (they’re normally always open). I see two guys standing behind it. I’m a little apprehensive as I open the door. As soon as I try to step past them, one of them grabs me and stabs me twice with a switchblade in preparation to rob me.

Later…

I come to the store in late afternoon to work. After I roll up the gate and enter, I realize that Michelle’s not there. There are several customers browsing. It seems like they’d been waiting a while.

I stand outside and see Michelle come in. We also see Jennifer Milich riding a tricycle with Max. I wave them over and say hello. They’re inside the store, which is now an empty house. It’s raining outside and the rain is also inside (as if there is no roof). The carpeted floor is very muddy. When they come closer, I realize it’s an older cousin with Max and not his mother. I grab a sponge and threaten to get mud on Max. They chase me up the stairs, with Max throwing water on me with a small bucket. I defend myself with an umbrella.

Michelle goes into a bathroom upstairs to put on lotion and get ready. I leave Max and his cousin to talk to her. I say, “I know it’s really short notice and I should’ve told you much earlier… our friend Robert is coming in from England tonight…” Michelle looks irritated (she also looks completely different, a white woman with a shaved head and wrinkles around her eyes).

We hear a phone ringing and wonder whose it is. She goes to answer it as I head downstairs. I notice someone at the door ringing the doorbell.

Thursday, February 12th, 2004

I’m playing poker with a few other people. One woman busts out and is offered a rebuy. Another player who is short-stacked also makes a rebuy. I tell everyone that we’ll figure out the payout when we finish. A guy says, “I don’t want you messing up the math when we’re finished. I get aggravated and reply, “What, I can’t do math after I’ve either lost or won the game?”

Tuesday, February 10th, 2004

I’m in an elevator with another guy. We’re trying to get from the 2nd floor to the basement. The elevator takes a moment to get started and starts to move sideways and up. It feels like riding a slow rollercoaster or subway train. We travel out of the building and into the nearby industrial neighborhood. I notice some explosions nearby and ask my companion, a middle-aged black man, what’s going on. We’re both pretty worried.

The train goes underground for a bit, then back to the surface. We get off near a warehouse. We run inside and try to get an elevator/helicopter working. It takes two people to operate but I try to start it myself. My companion subdues a security guard while I try unsuccessfully to get the elevator/helicopter started. I ask him to try while I guard our captive. I force him to lie down while I search through his pockets. I come up with mostly random, unimportant papers. I ask him if the money I’m holding is all his and give it back, telling him that I’m no thief.

Monday, February 9th, 2004

I’m on a bus with a tour group traveling on a dirt road to our destination. The road is a little hilly and runs along the beach. We’re going very slowly and I get out to walk ahead of the bus. There are kids nearby playing. I trudge up the hill, trying to get to the top to see how far we are from our destination. As I top the hill, I see a sign for a farm. I sit on the ridge and look down at a diary farm. There are pens full of dogs (look like mastiffs). Large mothers are walking around, their teets spraying milk down to their pups (though the milk looks like urine). I watch as the bus turns into the farm and I run to catch up. The bus unloads the tourists along with a pack of dogs. I rejoin the group and find Susannah.

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2004

Susannah, another guy and I are hiding out in our house while a conflict/war rages outside. We peek out the window at the action.

There are two catapults and a trebuchet outside and several men are operating them, launching large balls of stone or iron. The projectiles don’t go very far but do hit the nearby houses.

One of the men comes into our house. I run to the closet for a weapon and find only two thin wooden sticks. I grab them and stick them both in the man, practically skewering him. I then grab my wooden sword and begin hitting him, driving him out of the house. He collapses just outside the door and I bolt it shut.

I then run to the other door to make sure it is shut. It doesn’t close properly but I’m able to lock it. As I rejoin Susannah and the other guy, I see someone knock at the other door. I try to keep quiet until I see that it’s Matt Abaya. He tells me that he’s here to help me fight off those guys. I open t he door and give him a hug.

Monday, February 2nd, 2004

I’m driving around with my mom and Susannah. My mom suddenly gets out (while we’re still moving). I back track to find her and see her walking slowly on the side of the road. I say to Susannah, “She looks like an old grandmother.”

Later…

I’m darting in and out of traffic. Most of the other cars are driven by talkative black men.

Later…

I’ve been robbed by several people who have stuffed themselves into envelopes and escaped into mailboxes. I call the police and report this though I’m not sure if they’re still in the mailboxes. I open one to check and see that they’ve escaped.

Later…

I’m on a yacht with some friends and colleagues headed out to sea for vacation. There is a war brewing back home but most of us don’t notice the squadron of helicopters and jets overhead.