Like Dreamers Do

Freedom:So this is the way it ends. The streets are on fire; the whole town is one big inferno. We've been attacked by aliens or Nazis as if the distinction matters when the destruction is so hopelessly complete. They're coming to get me and despite the terror in my heart, I accept that there is no escape. This is the way it has to be.

I pick Max the cat up underneath his belly. I stroke his forehead and say goodbye. The heat of the fire and the intensity of the moment become stronger. They're getting close. I open the door and give Max his long sought freedom, figuring his chances are better if I let him go. They're after me, not us. Max scampers away all the while looking back over his shoulder to see if I'm going to come after him. As he reaches the end of the yard, he flips some snow in my direction. As it leaves his paw it is a pile of un-massed flakes, but as it gets closer to my face it is a hard, icy snowball. Max playfully smiles as it hits me squarely in the honker. I wake up with a shiver, and Max is sleeping peacefully by my side.

The Gift Of Accepting Me As I Am: My best friend phoned me up and told me she had a dream about me the other night. In her dream, we were spending one of our quiet evenings together in my apartment. She was sipping on some wine, and smoking a cigarette. There was a knock on my door and I got up and opened it. Outside stood a plain looking woman with shoulder length brown hair. Beside her, stood my five year old son. My friend wasn't at all surprised.

Can't Always Be What They Want: My other best friend shared a dream she had the other night. She and her male friend were inside a huge, impressive mansion. She picked up a kitty and held it in her arms. Her friend told her the cat could do tricks. He told her to pick up a paperback book, toss it and the cat would play fetch. So she did. And the cat looked at her without an inclination to respond in any way. Her friend burst out laughing.

Painful Pursuit of Another Dismissed Dream: Dear Mr. and Ms. Olympic Sized Holier than Thou, Stand in Judge(ment), Jury and Executioner, Dream Spoiling, Committee Member: For years one of your justifications behind the existence of figure skating was your claim that it is one of the few sports that combines athleticism with artistic expression. Though the current scandal is ugly, here is the chance to put your lyre where your lips are. This is an opportunity for one artist to put aside the adversity and either shine brightly or fail miserably. Tonya Harding has begged to be given the chance to fulfill her dream and give the performance of her life. The spotlight of such a performance will be intense, the pressure tremendous and the hopes of many that she fails and falls flat on her fine fanny, will be enormous; but to deny her of that opportunity let alone deny history of that moment, would be tragic. This is Tonya's chance to create from the craziness. It is her biggest challenge to express herself in what she loves and does best. As those ever caring sensitive folks at Nike pointed out, if she is found to be guilty of a crime, you can always take away her medals in disgrace. But if she is found to have no connection with the corruption around her, then you can never give back the opportunity that 23 years of hard work has prepared her for.

Just What Did It All Mean? "I close my eyes when I drift away. Into the magic night I softly say, a silent prayer like dreamers do. Then I fall asleep to dream my dreams of you."