The Natatorium

An emporium of oddities from around the world, complete with somewhat informative plaques that almost never match the item they are meant to be describing.

Thursday, September 09, 2004

Control Issues

"I had a dream I stood beneath an orange sky."

I wasn't standing beneath an orange sky, but I did have a dream with a neon pink glow.

In the dream I was driving with a male someone who could have been my brother, and he wanted to stop somewhere for a treat. He asked for Sno Biz (shaved ice served from a little shack) but it was late and I said that they were probably closed. However, as we drove by, I could see a slight glow of a light on, though the building was facing the opposite direction that it does in real life. In the dream, as in real life, I worked at Sno Biz last summer, and now my cousin works there, so I thought I'd stop by and see if she needed help with anything. I parked my car and went to the door to unlock it myself since I knew the lock combination (from having worked there) and was going to let myself in, except that I suddenly couldn't remember the combination (I actually checked my brain just now to see if I really do still know it; I do). It was very dark and there was a mounting sense of foreboding, but just before I started to feel panicky I realized that the door was, in fact, unlocked. Just as I was about to open it, two arms encircled me from behind. I could tell it was a man in his early twenties (my brother had mysteriously disappeared) and he was a criminal, trying to rob the Sno Biz.

I knew what he was up to, and that he was about to abduct/knock me out or something, but for some odd reason I was strangely calm and entirely unafraid. So, I decided to play him. I started laughing as though he had pleasantly surprised me and we were old friends. I turned around and said, "Oh, it's *you*! It's so good to see you again! Come on, let's get some Sno Biz!" He looked completely and utterly confused for a moment, and then started to play along with me. I could tell that he completely bought it and was wracking his brain trying to remember where he knew me from. This continued for several minutes; we went to the window and ordered ice. My cousin was working and she had no idea that anything was amiss. I kept trying to mouth things to her when he wasn't looking, like "call the police", but she didn't get it, and I was getting more and more worried about having to maintain the farce. He now had no intention of robbing the Sno Biz, but had apparently decided that I was now his girlfriend (though I can't really blame him for the disgusting way I was acting, all gushy and stupid and charming--puh). He started telling me about all his problems, and how he didn't have any friends, and how I was the only person who cared about him and he loved me, etc.

Eventually he left, but over the next few days he kept calling me and talking to me for hours. I told the police about him and they tried to figure out where he was. Finally, they caught him, and somehow I was there when they were leading him away in handcuffs, and he gave me a really reproachful look. I'm not sure if I felt sorry for him, or if I felt bad for decieving and betraying him. I think this is where I woke up.

So. Anyone want to get Freudy on me? I smell control issues.