In my dream, I am back at college and headed for a class lecture. As I get to the door to the appropriate room (which is a classroom rather than a lecture hall), I realize that the lecture has already started and I'm late.
I then realize that I don't have a pad of paper on which to take notes -- and I don't have a pen either. As the lecture continues, I look around the room to see if there are writing implements available on a shelf somewhere or if there's a familiar face among the students from whom I might borrow such.
Such things are nowhere in evidence. I realize that I will have to leave the building, purchase pen and paper, and then return to the lecture room. I think I know the stores likely to have such things for sale, but I have to cross some major highways -- much like the traffic circle at the Philadelphia Art Museum -- to get there.
When I get to the first store, I see that pens and paper are sold in different stores. So I would be able to purchase a pen there, but would have to go to a different store to get my paper.
The pen I select has famous quotations inscribed on the barrel. The quotes are thoughtful and erudite. And they are most appropriate for being on a writing instrument. The quotes might, in fact, inspire the user of the pen to think a little harder, probe a little deeper, and so forth. I'm amazed that that the barrel of a ballpoint pen could hold so many quotes. As I rotate the pen, I see more and more quotes and all of them are inspiring.
The "scene" moves to my being in the store where I can purchase paper -- and it is my intent to buy a simple pad of 8-1/2 by 11 lined paper. Much to my dismay, the store doesn't have such things. I settle on getting a pad of smaller-size lined paper. I feel the necessity to get back to the lecture as quickly as possible.
I'm standing in the store with my pad in hand ready to check out. but see that the store manager is having an in-depth discussion with a customer. The discussion is animated but not hostile. It feels as if this discussion has gone on for some time and is likely to continue for some considerable time to come. This being the case, I give serious consideration to simply walking out with the pad of paper without paying for it. I feel justified in doing so.
When I decide I'm comfortable doing this, I start to consider what excuse I should make to the teacher when I get back to the lecture.
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