google.com, pub-4909507274277725, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 Slapinions: A dream

Search This Blog

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

A dream

Despite the title of this post, it isn't a wistful water colored trip down memory lane. It's simply a nightmare I had last night. I wanted to preserve it for future shrinks to pick apart. Nothing that follows is exaggerated for effect - l don't normally remember dreams, but this one is very detailed. I guess it's an all-or-nothing affair, eh?

It began at the 4077th of MASH fame. Colonel Potter was there, and the later-seasons version of Hot Lips, when her hair was more silver than blonde and she was much more serious than in the early years. They were going to have a party or event of some sort involving a long line of white jeeps. You had the feeling it was near the end of an episode, and sure enough there was a close-up of Radar. "Choppers!" he yelled. Hot Lips pulled her jeep to the side of the road. Someone yelled 'Japs!' and pointed to the sky, and there was a Zero with an American Mustang behind it.

Odd, seeing as this was Korea, but whatever.

Then it was no longer Korea but a huge parade, the size of one of those old ticker-tape jobs. It was certainly a street much wider than any here in Milwaukee. The family and I were on a flat stretch of sidewalk a few blocks down from a large hill. Over a loudspeaker a male voice announced that the Zero and the Mustang were going to do some acrobatics for the crowds amusement.

All went well as they zoomed over the hill and past us, doing flips and whatnot. Then the Mustang  tried to flip backwards and spiraled quickly out of control. I remember being afraid and telling the family to 'get down'. It glanced off the pavement and violently skipped up the street, slamming in a firestorm into the crowd on the hlll..

And then it was the same place, same event, but no plane.

In its place was an orange stock-car. It  was in a violent head over tail flip down the length of the hill. At the hill's base the car burst into flame. Rescue vehicle's tried to surround the car but its driver, silhouetted behind the wheel, seemed intent on finishing the parade. It roared past me on fire, flames creeping up on the driver.

I had a clear view of him hunched over the wheel, eyes obsessed with finishing no matter the cost. I remember thinking that this sight, this tape of a man about to burn to death at a parade, was going to play forever on TV. Even in my dream I imagined the 'warning' that would proceed it ever time it was showed, and I knew it would just encourage people to stay and watch the carnage. I knew I would too.

I was scared, I was alarmed, and I was fascinated.

And then the alarm was ringing, the baby was crying, Lisa was sleepily asking me what time it was, and it was time to wake up and start the day.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

And, as you recounted the dream, it will be with you forever. I remember dreams from when I was very young--some of them every bit as scary as that.

My cousin would say, you need to get a dream book and find out what numbers can be gleaned from this dream so you can play [the lottery.]

;^) Jan the Gryphon

Anonymous said...

Hmm, sounds like a fascination with death. [taking off amateur psychologist hat]

Nah, I don't know a whole lot about dreams, but I thought this was an interesting line: "I knew it would just encourage people to stay and watch the carnage. I knew I would too."

A while back, I was having these incredibly vivid and horribly violent dreams. I mean real blood and guts stuff. I knew they weren't real, but it still left me with an uneasy feeling when I woke up. The other night, I dreamed about the Kids in the Hall, and that was a lot more fun!

At an attempt at a serious interpretation, I would guess that you were feeling anxious about something in your life, and your dream reflected that. You seemed to feel a lot of anxiety in your dream, whether it was anticipating something bad, protecting your family, or witnessing a horrible death from which you couldn't look away.

Hey, that sounds pretty good! What do you think?

Sweet dreams tonight!

Beth

Anonymous said...

My goodness...what a dream Dan,,,,more of a nightmare I would think.  Thank goodness it was just a dream....but isn't it funny how occasionally.... very occasionally... in my case... when we dream it becomes so vivid we can't quite get it out of  our minds.  My Sister when she was quite young was able to dream..wake up..think aboout it ..go back to sleep and continue with the same dream....weird I called it.    Here's to a peaceful day !   Love  Sybil xx

http://journals.aol.co.uk/sybilsybil45/villagelife/

Anonymous said...

Your mind mixed fun with disaster in that dream, from beginning to end.
Hugs, Joyce

Anonymous said...

Oh man...how can I not comment! First, you made me wonder if you are a M*A*S*H buff like me. I watch the evening episodes on tvland or our local wherever I  can find it. Perhaps that was on tv before you went to bed? It is a place of healing and a place of much carnage. Remember the episode where they all had dreams. Wow. The Colonel was later also & Hot Lips being the way she was is also later...wisdom perhaps. Radar is the first version of the Early Alert System! :-) So my guess is wanting, desiring, needing a warning that something traumatic might happen is something you'd like. Now with Smiley in the ER hmmm. Parade...summer, something fun...you were having fun with Smiley that day & without warning he was hurt...there was trauma...something came after him...MUSTANG is an animal. You could not stop it right. Perhaps you felt there was a warning that others had & yet they did not intervene soon enough? Where you scared, alarmed & fasinated with the hospital putting Smiley back together? I could be of on the related signifigance because I don't know what else is going on in your life but it does seem to fit quite a bit from here? You  would know more though.

Anonymous said...

Hmm, since I rarely remember my dreams, I could not begin to interpret one of yours <LOL> :o)  Some interesting variations.

Anonymous said...

Boy what a dream. I hope it stays as a dream,
 

I don't dream or should I say I don't remember my dreams.

I hope you night tonight will be better...

Jeanne