05/11/01
One Way To Hold A Rat
I don't remember any of last night's dreams very well, but one involved a rat. I believe it was somebody else's pet at first and it was very intelligent. But then they were handing it over to me to take care of, so now it would be my responsibility. There were a couple of other people with me, a woman and a man I think, and I believe the man was black. I was in a strange sterile-looking house or building that I think was supposed to be mine. (I seem to remember a sloping white hallway.) I was excited about getting a pet rat but at the same time anxious because I've never had one and I wasn't sure if I could care for it properly. They held it and told me how to take care of it. I believe it was black or dark brown, and it was very big. One of them was holding it in one hand, fingers on its chest, and stroking its back with the other hand. They then gave it to me, but I shied away, afraid to touch it--I knew it would bite! It gave no indication that it was hostile--in fact, all it did was sit in the man's hand--but I was afraid nonetheless. Several times he tried giving it to me and every time I backed off. I WANTED to take it but didn't have the courage!
Finally he either tried to give it to me and missed or else just let it go, as it was set free and started wandering around the house. It went into my utility room (now it looked like my house) and started poking around under some bags. I was chasing after it, afraid it would get away, because it was my responsibility! It disappeared into a cabinet and I started crying and pointed at the door. "It got away! It went in there!"
I think Ma was with me now and she brushed past me to open the cabinet and get the rat out. The others watched. Then the man tried handing it to me again and I was still too afraid to even touch it--I felt it would chomp into my hand. I finally took hold of it but it started squirming and slipped right out of my hand. He then showed me that there was a CORRECT way to hold it and it wouldn't escape as it had before: Hold it in one hand with your fingers across its chest, and pet it with the other. It needed some kind of "guidance" so it wouldn't run away, and if I kept my fingers on its chest (under its neck), blocking it from running away, it would stay still and be good. I finally figured out how to hold it properly and had no troubles as I petted its back.
Sticky Situation
One dream involved being in some large, large building with lots of wood and glass--reminds me of the UAW where Dad works, only it had a VERY high vaulted ceiling, very fancy ornate skylights above, carpeting, earth tones, very expensive and nice. I was with a large group of people around my age and I think we were in a college course, on some kind of trip. There was an older guy leading us around. But then I seem to remember being with some people I knew in elementary school and I felt younger again. We were leaving the building to go somewhere, another trip, maybe to get on a plane or get a ride. I now seemed to have my backpack or something with me and we filed toward the doors. I had some trouble getting out--perhaps I tripped or got stuck. We were leaving through this dim little hallway like those special collapsible hallways they use to get you on planes. I feel we were in a hurry. Perhaps one of my former best friends was with me and I was trying to joke around but not having much luck as I kept getting caught on things, apparently!
Darkness Falls Across The Lawn
I had another one of THOSE dreams again, without even knowing it at first.
This was the last one I remember, I forgot it until a little while ago; I can't remember how it started but I went outside into the front yard and started pretending I was one of my detective characters, again, and I was acting all "intense" and everything like I was on a case. ^_^ (Bear with me, I do that a lot...) The ditch was full of water from a recent rain and I went walking down toward it. It was cloudy out and it must have been early evening as it was getting dark, but I wanted to stay out in the yard for a while longer. This is kind of strange because this detective character, should I ever write his story (and I probably won't), I'm going to give him a few of the stranger dreams that I've had, make them his. Well--this is strange because while I was thinking of him and how he would react to these dreams, the same dream came along. I noticed it was getting darker and felt I should go inside. Then I thought, "I don't WANT to go inside. This is just perfect anyway, it's just like the dream. I'll stay out and keep playing until it gets TOO dark."
I didn't realize that this was one of "those dreams" at the time because it happened differently this time--it clouded over and evening came on, instead of the sun going dark. But the result was the same. As soon as I made the decision to stay out longer, it immediately grew just about pitch black. Bam, just like that. I remember turning around on one heel, still in my character's persona, staring wide eyed across the lawn. The wind picked up and blew across my face, whipping my clothes around me. I could almost FEEL the clouds bearing down on me, the sky was so heavy; and I briefly wondered what would happen if it got so dark I couldn't make my way back inside. I think I could see the lights on in my house (my yard isn't that big), but I couldn't see the yard itself--it was all blackness--nothing. I could trip and fall in the ditch, I might lose my way across the lawn to the house--I couldn't see the porch. Just BLACKNESS. And those clouds and that wind and despite my anxiety I refused to stop pretending I was my character instead of me.
Well, even if the dark's way of coming was different, the ending wasn't, as it ended before anything really happened. As always.
2001 Dreams
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