In a bedroom. It resembles one at Uplands Road. I have a lot of cocaine that I am trying to hide. I do a small line.
Walking through the grounds of a boarding school. The old buildings look English, but a sign over one of them says "Candy" so I assume I am in America. I arrive at a common room where pupils are sitting around talking. I don't recognize them but am comfortable with them. Some are wearing formal clothes, dark suits, ties. Others are dressed casually. The clothes represent a distinction in status. My own clothes rank me above average but not at the top of the class structure. In my best R.P. accent I talk to a student in one of the finest suits. I ask: "How do you always know what to wear?" "They hammer it into you," he replies.
In a bedroom at the school that I share with another pupil. He tells me about his grandmother who tried to shoot herself in the head, failed, and was subsequently arrested and sentenced to death. As he tells me the story I realize I already know the ending. His grandmother dies by setting fire to herself in public. I wake up on the floor between my bed and that of my room-mate and realize I have been dreaming. I am tangled up in the blanket from his bed which is covered in fluorescent green dots. I try to untangle myself and my room-mate wakes up, alarmed by the tugging at his blanket. I tell him I fell out of bed.
In the presence of the Headmistress. I am having a fragmented conversation with the other pupils about how we can "throw a spanner in the works and make the wheels fall off the system."
Trying to fit a screw in a bicycle frame. The thread is damaged. As the Headmistress oversees the operation she becomes increasingly anxious.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Atheist Paranoia
In a decrepit room. There is food on the floor. My brother and I are having a physically violent argument. His violent behavior is partially the result of alcohol abuse. I leave and drive around. I have moved to Minneapolis to live with Gina.
Outside PJs in Baltimore. A large basket above the front door contains bottles of cold beer. People are helping themselves. Scott is there with friends. He doesn't recognize me but his friends say they remember me from a conference. I walk home and get intimidated by people sitting on their stoops. An African-American woman asks me: "Are you all Christians?" I tell her I am an atheist. I continue walking and am joined by a child who tells me how wonderful his church is. His description avoids mention of religion as if he knows that would put me off.
Outside PJs in Baltimore. A large basket above the front door contains bottles of cold beer. People are helping themselves. Scott is there with friends. He doesn't recognize me but his friends say they remember me from a conference. I walk home and get intimidated by people sitting on their stoops. An African-American woman asks me: "Are you all Christians?" I tell her I am an atheist. I continue walking and am joined by a child who tells me how wonderful his church is. His description avoids mention of religion as if he knows that would put me off.
Cats and Cars
At the Uplands Road house. I sneak out of the front bedroom onto the lawn. A cat asks me how I got out without going through the kitchen. I explain about the window. The cat then asks how I got a glass of water during the night without going to the kitchen. When I tell the cat I got water from the bathroom he is concerned the water there is bad. I tell him it is fine. It occurs to me that the questions about the kitchen are a ploy designed to make me feed the cat. He complains that he has had too much sex recently. I realize a talking cat is unusual. "You're a clever little thing, aren't you?" I say. The cat agrees.
At the Fitzjohn Avenue house. The family is there, as are Chrissie and Jeff. Sometimes they are Geoff and Eileen. I walk down the street and notice most of the cars are on their roofs. There seems to have been a crash near the house. A car door rests on the sidewalk. A beach buggy with balloon tires comes racing down the hill and overturns. I go inside and tell my step father he should check outside in case Geoff's car has been totaled.
At the Fitzjohn Avenue house. The family is there, as are Chrissie and Jeff. Sometimes they are Geoff and Eileen. I walk down the street and notice most of the cars are on their roofs. There seems to have been a crash near the house. A car door rests on the sidewalk. A beach buggy with balloon tires comes racing down the hill and overturns. I go inside and tell my step father he should check outside in case Geoff's car has been totaled.
The Dogs of War
On a Tron light cycle. Riding, but not racing, with other people down a long lane. On a nearby cycle is a camera crew. Each light cycle has a TV monitor showing the images being filmed. A dog is driving one of the light cycles. I am delighted when it falls off. A golden retriever comes running towards me with a stick. I take the stick and throw it as hard as I can in the hope that the dog will get run over. The stick does not travel far. Just before I reach the end of the lane everything goes dark. When the lights are turned on again there is a closed door in front of me. Norman Schwarzkopf is there giving a press conference about the database behind the door. I know he has no idea what he is talking about and start to ask a question, but someone behind me interrupts. I turn around and shout at the person to shut up. I finish my question and Schwarzkopf makes a joke to evade answering. I walk outside and ask a woman: "Are they all mad, or is it me?" She tells me Schwarzkopf is really stupid and says: "He was making tea in the big pot in the kitchen, but he put in one too many teabags, so he took one out and put it in the fridge."
Gun in the Snow
Waiting in the house in Barnet. I am about to walk to the bus stop to catch the 4:16 but I look at my watch and find it is 4:20 already.
Watching TV with a crowd of people. We lose the picture. There is a second TV in a cupboard on which the first TV stands. The second TV turns into a word processor. I use it to write a spoof paper on N-rays.
Outside. I feel compelled to talk to a man who is carrying a rifle. There is snow on the ground. The man does not want to talk to me and fires his rifle into the air. I dive to the ground and cover my head with my hands. The gun vanishes and I wrestle with the man in the snow. We are not trying to hurt each other.
Watching TV with a crowd of people. We lose the picture. There is a second TV in a cupboard on which the first TV stands. The second TV turns into a word processor. I use it to write a spoof paper on N-rays.
Outside. I feel compelled to talk to a man who is carrying a rifle. There is snow on the ground. The man does not want to talk to me and fires his rifle into the air. I dive to the ground and cover my head with my hands. The gun vanishes and I wrestle with the man in the snow. We are not trying to hurt each other.
Kidnap
Visiting an old town. Gina, John and others are there. Standing on a balcony I see Annette kissing her new boyfriend.
In the lobby of an expensive hotel. We are the guests of some Arabs. We sit on cushions wearing colorful clothes as naked dancing girls perform for us. I begin to suspect the Arabs are kidnapping women. Annette appears wearing a long, heavy coat. She holds a pair of knickers in front of her.
In my apartment building. Gina and I are trying to escape from the Arabs.
Walking along a street in the town. An old bus, red and white with big windows in wooden frames, tries to make a left turn onto a narrower street, but the corner is too tight. Janet helps by moving part of the brickwork of an obstructing building. We walk further beyond the town. A dirt path ends at two concrete walls angled in a V-shape. There are seats between the walls coming out of a smooth cement floor. They look like tombstones. The Arabs come to kidnap the women. I am terrified.
In the lobby of an expensive hotel. We are the guests of some Arabs. We sit on cushions wearing colorful clothes as naked dancing girls perform for us. I begin to suspect the Arabs are kidnapping women. Annette appears wearing a long, heavy coat. She holds a pair of knickers in front of her.
In my apartment building. Gina and I are trying to escape from the Arabs.
Walking along a street in the town. An old bus, red and white with big windows in wooden frames, tries to make a left turn onto a narrower street, but the corner is too tight. Janet helps by moving part of the brickwork of an obstructing building. We walk further beyond the town. A dirt path ends at two concrete walls angled in a V-shape. There are seats between the walls coming out of a smooth cement floor. They look like tombstones. The Arabs come to kidnap the women. I am terrified.
Airport
Sitting in an airport. The departure lounge looks like a school cafeteria. Only two planes are scheduled to depart. The color scheme resembles that of Continental. Elliot is there with two other astronomers. I am flying with them to a conference. My brother appears holding two half-full bottles of beer, one Sam Adams. I tell him they probably belong to someone and that he should put them back or he could get into trouble. I overhear people having a conversation about lemmings.
Glass Pyramid
Talking to a man about death. We are looking at a glass pyramid filled with water. It glows with vivid colors: yellow, green, through turquoise to deep blue. I show the man a tiny lucky charm. "When this is lost and buried I will be dead and free," I say.
Talking to El and John. El is reading my dream journal. I ask her to stop.
Talking to El and John. El is reading my dream journal. I ask her to stop.
Yellow
Driving in my car. I stop in a parking lot where Barb and Anne are sitting at a desk. I talk briefly to Barb.
Trying on a yellow football helmet in a store. The chin-strap is broken so I look for a replacement. I don't find one. I look through a selection of underpants all of which are too large. The store also sells yellow cat collars.
Talking to El and John. El is amazed that I know real science. El and John seem to be annoying each other.
Trying on a yellow football helmet in a store. The chin-strap is broken so I look for a replacement. I don't find one. I look through a selection of underpants all of which are too large. The store also sells yellow cat collars.
Talking to El and John. El is amazed that I know real science. El and John seem to be annoying each other.
Dangerous Redhead
In a large house. There is a sense of tension and danger as many people mill around. At the back door of the house a woman with red hair attacks me with a knife and forces me outside. She locks the door. I know I have to return to the front of the house. The garden is like a tropical jungle. I run rapidly to reach the light and safety at the front of the house. When I get to the front door friendly faces welcome me. I notice that in my clenched fists there are clumps of red hair. People congratulate me.
Football Game
In Massachusetts. Dave and I are at a college football game. It is the last game of the season and the players are drinking beer from a keg between plays. When the game is over the home team cheerleaders take off their uniforms to reveal complicated white lingerie. The visiting cheerleaders each undo three buttons on their blouses. I say this is tacky.
In Dave's parents' house there is an open bottle of champagne. It is full. I decide it should be re-corked. I find the cork and force it into the neck of the bottle. A man starts explaining, with the aid of graphs, how heat escapes from houses and how you can insulate a home at reasonable cost.
In Dave's parents' house there is an open bottle of champagne. It is full. I decide it should be re-corked. I find the cork and force it into the neck of the bottle. A man starts explaining, with the aid of graphs, how heat escapes from houses and how you can insulate a home at reasonable cost.
Cigarettes
At work. The auditorium is full of people and has acquired an upper balcony. Janet and another overweight woman are discussing why they are fat and what they weighed when they were younger. Janet says when she was 105 lbs she ceased to be pretty. She claims it was the death of her father that caused her to become overweight.
I see Arthur and Tod in the balcony and walk towards them but end up in a bar. I buy cigarettes, take three from the pack and line them up on the bar. The bartender explains that smokers should be more open about their habit and that hiding it will make smoking more prevalent.
I see Arthur and Tod in the balcony and walk towards them but end up in a bar. I buy cigarettes, take three from the pack and line them up on the bar. The bartender explains that smokers should be more open about their habit and that hiding it will make smoking more prevalent.
Cocktail Party
At a cocktail party. I am with my fiancee. The party is being hosted by her parents. As the future son-in-law I am responsible for mixing the drinks. The mixers are bright red and orange in small bottles arranged in a line like a medicine cabinet. In addition to my future in-laws there is another oldish couple. The woman is short and fat with a heap of curly, dark hair. She makes a comment about getting drunk. She tells me how to make a particular drink and I get confused about which bottle to use from the long line. Two adolescent girls who look like they are sisters enter the room by climbing through a window. Only one is allowed to drink alcohol.
Bus Stop
In a white room. Two women and a man are clumsily having sex on a bed. They are half-dressed in formal Victorian clothes.
On a train with the man and one of the women. The carriage is open like a London Underground train with a central aisle where people are walking. A middle-aged American man with dark hair tells me he hoped to get a seat in the dining car so he could watch the ball-game, but all the seats are taken. We tell him there is no ball-game. He replies "the ball-game in the film." Doors at each end of the carriage open and another train passes through ours.
Standing on a high street with Robert. I think I see Claudia and Michelle but they are two women I do not know. It feels like we are in Barnet waiting for the 84 but the timetable at the bus stop says "104 BOLTON." It is dusk and a bus without lights drives past. The destination indicator says "104 DAINES." Robert says this proves Bolton is in the West End. I tell him it is near Manchester. I eat a chocolate bar and suggest that later we could get some chips. Robert tells me he doesn't hug people enough so I hug him and accidentally tread on his foot.
On a train with the man and one of the women. The carriage is open like a London Underground train with a central aisle where people are walking. A middle-aged American man with dark hair tells me he hoped to get a seat in the dining car so he could watch the ball-game, but all the seats are taken. We tell him there is no ball-game. He replies "the ball-game in the film." Doors at each end of the carriage open and another train passes through ours.
Standing on a high street with Robert. I think I see Claudia and Michelle but they are two women I do not know. It feels like we are in Barnet waiting for the 84 but the timetable at the bus stop says "104 BOLTON." It is dusk and a bus without lights drives past. The destination indicator says "104 DAINES." Robert says this proves Bolton is in the West End. I tell him it is near Manchester. I eat a chocolate bar and suggest that later we could get some chips. Robert tells me he doesn't hug people enough so I hug him and accidentally tread on his foot.
Camera
In a room with Donna. She takes a picture of me with a disposable camera. I try to take one of her but open the shutter before she is in the viewfinder. The camera has two parts. The main body is metal and contains the lens. Above this is a black plastic component that houses the film. As the shutter clicks the film rushes around and gets exposed to the light. I worry this will ruin the film but Anna tells me it will be fine. Several inches of film run round the spool between each shot. I tell Anna this is a waste. She says that Kodak invented the camera. I reply that they can afford the film.
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