In my dream, I am standing outside on a farm or in a park with Brian Fahey and some of the kids from West Chester Friends School. (I'm not sure that's where the kids are from, but coming from WCFS makes sense and would be perfectly reasonable.) Things are going well.
Soon, I find that I'm on a train with Brian on our way to Edmonton, Alberta to do some business issue or issues about the kids and park or farm where we've been. If there are kids along on this trip, I don't hear or see them. Edmonton is not that far away from the farm or park -- maybe an hour's trip by train.
Things move forward quickly. We're off the train, got the business issues resolved, and are back on the train. The next stop for the train will be where we get off and return to the farm or park.
The train slows down considerably to make the stop so we can get off. And Brian sure enough does disembark. But the train accelerates away from the stop before I can get off. I look out the window and see Brian looking anxious about what's happening -- but there's really nothing he can do.
I don't feel any panic or alarm, only an inconvenience to myself and -- quite probably -- to Brian as well. I will simply get off the train at the next stop and wait for the next train going back to the stop where we initially started our trip, The stop where Brian got off.
Much to my surprise, the next stop is Edmonton! It would seem that the train did a 180-degree turn on the tracks without my noticing. But I still feel there won't be a problem in getting back to Brian. I get off the train in Edmonton.
There's nothing in the dream about getting out of the train, off the platform, and into the station, but I find myself next walking around the streets of Edmonton. I understand somehow that the idea of getting a return train is not going to work. So I begin to search for a taxi to take me back.
I ask numerous people where would be the easiest place to find a taxi, and people tell me to do things and/or go places that turn out to be impossible for me to do or visit. Someone tells me he's sure that a taxi can be found at The Red Box building. I somehow understand that building to be a cinderblock structure -- quite possibly a beer distributor. His confidence makes me feel that I'm on the way to resolving this whole issue, but when I follow his instructions to find The Red Box, I am completely unsuccessful. No buildings even close to his description. When I ask other folks about The Red Box they either don't know or give me yet additional directions that don't work.
I try to use my cell phone to get in touch with Brian to let him know where I am and my current status. Rather than asking for the telephone number for a Brian Fahey (of which there may be several or many) I ask for the number for WCFS. I try this several times, but the operators I'm working with either don't understand what I'm saying or give me some kind of runaround that is of no help whatsoever. When I try for the 4th or 5th time, I am informed that I have used up all my opportunities to get information from these operators.
At this point, I realize that, in addition to not knowing exactly where I am in Edmonton, I don't know the name of the place where Brian and the kids are staying and I don't even know the name of the train stop where Brian disembarked.
My phone is getting low on its charge. I'm lost in a city I know nothing about. I don't know how I'm going to find anyone who can help me and I don't know how anyone who wanted to find me could do so.
I am relieved to wake up.
No comments:
Post a Comment