Dream #3

It started off that Valeria and I were walking over an unusually hilly Kontraktova Ploscha looking for the new ELC office. We searched high and low, but couldn't find it anywhere. After some time, I realized that I had to go teach at Chanel, which wasn't located too far away. Turning back northwest, we wondered through a large park/garden that looked like Saint James’s Park in London. Once through the large park, Valeria took off for home while I headed up for class.

Upon entering I was surprised to happen upon some sort of birthday celebration. The office look different; it had been set up with a potluck-type meal. Due to the celebration, both conference rooms were occupied. They asked me to wait for a few minutes (which I didn't mind because I was excited that they might soon cancel class all together). As I leaned against the reception desk, I noticed Ash and Matt sitting on the floor leaning against the wall while eating some food. It was a relief to sit down next to them and joke around as I waited. I waited for about an hour and still no progress about the class. At this point, I was debating what to do—leave, or hope we’ll have the last 2 hours of class…

At that moment, the actual employees of the company came by and said that they wouldn't need me for class today. They went on to add that there would be no reason for me to come back as they’d be looking for a replacement for me. Feeling slighted and insult, I left.

Almost instantly, however, I found myself in a YAPPI branch office that doesn't actually exist. I set my heavy bag on the ground and began talking to the manager. My class was supposed to start in a little over two hours, but I was dressed in a baggy hoodie and a pair of sweatpants (which was different from the outfit I was just wearing in Chanel). On top of that look, I was unshaven and my hair was a mess. Still I hung around a little while and watched the minutes tick away. The bags that I had carried in were full of clothes and other assorted ideas. I was about to leave my classroom and go home for a quick shower and shave before having to travel back for classes when the manager came in and sadly informed me that someone had died. I had never heard of or met the person, but they were going to give a special lecture that Thursday night on Postcolonialism. The manager asked me to substitute the lecture instead. I said that I would think about it, because I wasn't sure that I wanted to cancel my Thursday night classes.

She left and I rummaged through my bags until I found my wallet, and I pulled 30UAH out. Before I could leave the room again, the doorway was blocked by a former colleague of mine from ELC. Her tall and wide frame filled the door and kept me from leaving. She was looking into the room, which had become a dimly lit auditorium where someone was lecturing. When I told her that I needed to take off, she said that we should leave at the same time. However, when she wasn't paying close attention to me, I grabbed my larger bag that I had placed my wallet and other money and tucked it away next to the YAPPI manager for safe keeping. Finally I went out the door with only enough time to ride home and back on the metro (the shower/shave window had closed).

Since I appeared on Kontraktova again, I thought I might save some time and take a marshrutka. It was dark outside and I couldn't see very well. Due to being in a rush and blinded by approaching headlights, I hopped onto the first marshrutka that I rolled up. It didn't take long before I discovered that the marshrutka was heading in the wrong direction. I looked at the number that read 250. I didn't know where it went and so I asked to be let out at the nearest metro. The driver responded “What metro?” With such a discouraging response, I asked him to let me out here. I ran across the street to catch a ride back into (and then across) the city.

Standing in the midst of kiosks, cars and people that I didn't recognize, I happened to look up at the night sky. In the sky I saw distant shadowy images that I couldn't quite clearly make out there true form. But they would appear in a pack of six all side by side and they would move forward at a slight pace before launching forward and leaving a brilliantly glistening and colorful contrail behind them. Before long another six would lower themselves from the deep night sky just enough to appear faintly in the distance, and do the same thing at crossing angle. This repeated itself constantly, but nobody seemed to notice or care. My heart and stomach sank. I began to feel nauseous. A shrill chill ran my spine. I feared that the end of the world was coming very soon, so I stepped inside of the next random vehicle that had pulled up to the bus stop.

When I stepped inside of a small, compact car, I was home. It was completely dark inside and about 9:30 at night.  I stumbled around in the dark and found Valeria asleep on the living room floor. I tried not to wake her as I covered her with another blanket. Since it was 9:30 in the evening, I had missed all my classes and the Postcolonialism lecture; I had missed everything and I didn't know what to do, so I started walking toward the kitchen.


At this time, I awoke

Dream #2

I approached this mansion that looked like something Gatsby might live in. Its Gargantuan, awe-inspiring face, like that of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, looked shamefully down at my minute existence. Inside I met up with several of my friends--most notably Nat and Brandon. After some time inside of the extravagant house making my rounds, Nat finally asked, "Haven't you talked to her yet?" He was shocked that I still hadn't met with the hostess of the party. It seemed rude of me, but at the same time I thought that it wasn't completely ridiculous. In all actuality, I was still surprised to even be at the party. Nevertheless, I was a guest and shouldn't be a snob.

Nat and Brandon accompanied to where the hostess was standing. The wooden floors looked golden beneath her feet. We exchanged brief pleasantries before she decided to take me on a tour of the grounds. We stepped outside into a beautiful, yet misty forest. The jack pines stood tall on the lush ground; the gray lake was freckled with lily pads. We walked side by side in silence with Nat and Brandon following a few steps behind. Apprehension clouded the air. Occasionally she turned toward me as if wanting to say something, but would hesitantly stop herself. Likewise I searched for the proper words to say. It was apparent that she had something profoundly honest that she wanted to share with me. Whether it was about the past or present, I don't know. I just know that on multiple occasions during our silent walk she struggled with what she wanted to say.

About that time, I awoke.

Dream #1

Today is a good day to start—a good day to summon the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers (if not to shew for me, at least interpret). For some time now, I have been thinking that I would write down the various dreams and nightmares that keep me entertained and/or mortified at night. Many of the dreams from the past have passed along never to be recollected or summoned up again. Take last night for example. As I sit here attempting to cleverly punch every key, I can neither conjure up any images nor tap into the general vibe of what danced through my subconscious. Typically speaking, I believe that I can keep the majority of the scenes of dreams in my head for a couple days. Nevertheless, forget the forgotten dreams and let’s focus on two eerie recollections from about two months ago that have been festering in the secluded nooks of my noggin.  

#1

The evening was dark and the city lights of Minneapolis were illuminated in a brilliant array of colors. A small group of friends, each face now a blur in my memory (except for my wife), found ourselves settled down on a dusty outlook that showcased the view of Minneapolis’ skyline from its southern face as if one were driving north toward the city on I-35. This outlook point, which doesn’t actually exist, positioned us high up and far out from the city, yet at a perfect distance to absorb its energy and beauty. The weather was fine and warm. The sky lay open—clarity of vision was pristine! As a certain calm accompanied our easygoing laughter, we surveyed the skyline. Despite definite differences, the changes didn’t have any effect on people. The IDS Tower had either been hidden or removed. While the Wells Fargo Center tower seemed significantly smaller in comparison to the juggernaut Capella Tower, which stood roughly 150 floors high.

Without any forewarning of any kind, two suddenly loud and enormous explosions shattered the silence of our peaceful evening. Each blast originated from the base of Capella Tower; their glow burning deep into my mind. From our vantage point, it was impossible to tell what had caused this. Nothing had occurred out of the ordinary before this event. Whether or not we had been listening to music prior to all of this, I am not exactly sure. Even still, I recall the faint humming of Muse’s “Uprising” playing in the background as if nature itself had begun to move to its rhythm.

Then, alas, before my eyes, Capella Tower started leaning more and more on its newly weakened side. Seeing the inevitable outcome transpiring before my unprepared soul, my eyes opened wide as they tried to close. My heart sped up as my breathing stopped. The Capella Tower came crashing down onto the earth engulfed in a barrage of secondary blasts (all of which were caused by colliding with other buildings, cars, power lines, etc.). Its final resting place lay along the west bank of the Mississippi River; its corpse pointing southeast. At this time, I let out a scream that I didn’t think I was even capable of producing—a scream that shook my whole body until I had quaked down to my knees gawking at the dust and smoke fluttering into the starry night. My wife ran to me and grabbed me as I gazed horrifyingly at the wreckage. All the while, the music played.  

About that time, I awoke.

#2

After teaching my first of four YAPPI classes on Saturday, I met with my wife outside in order to take a walk. This decision was strange, because I have only ten minutes between lessons.  Even still, we walked together through the warm, yet soft sunshine. The sky held a rich and unspoiled azure hue. We smiled and laughed as the city seemed to speed on around us. If not for playing hooky from work, this walk would have been a completely wonderful time.

Before we knew it, we had already reached Besarabsky Market down Tarasa Shevchenka Boulevard. I noticed that the landscape was a series of large, cascading plateaus, as opposed to its actual hilly descent. We were rounding the corner near Madarin Plaza en route to ELC when about this time my YAPPI manager called me. As I saw her name appear on the screen of my cell phone, the reality of my blowing off work had finally set in. Feeling overly guilt-ridden and anxious, I answered the phone. Trying all the while to play dumb about what I had done, I took hold of my wife’s hand and started back the way that we had come.

As we turned around, we discovered a different scene. Standing on Ivana Franka Square, across from the theatre, looking up at Bankova Street, we ran toward the ascending steps. We were neither in the right place nor running in the right direction. Still, that fact didn't prompt any hesitation. One thing was definitely certain: Bankova Street had changed. Although the Ukrainian president’s residence was still there, several modern, glass buildings glamorously stood to the left surrounded by brilliantly lush landscaping.

Just as some tranquility began overriding my stress, thunderously loud noise came streaming through the air. As we turned southwest to see the cause of this noise, we saw a fleet of white Delta airplanes with red tail-fins branded by a white Delta symbol and lettering soaring over the Ukrainian president’s residence before deliberately diving into the new glass structure. Successive explosions launched debris through the air as people ran hysterically toward an underpass in order to shelter themselves and attempt to regain a piece of normality. With our eyes frantically surveying our surroundings, we spotted airplanes of many different colors flying low overhead.               

About that time, I awoke.