Nocturnal Impedimenta

Dreamt I was me but walking around in Obama’s skin/body, trying to talk peace, love and understanding to folks in Appalachia, specifically rural Western Pennsylvania.

Some listened, a lot didn’t. Most met me with at least a smackerel of civility. More than a few (poor, white men all) greeted me with rabid dog anger as if I was responsible for their unemployment, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, high gas prices and their inability to get it up. 'Sorry fuckwits, that was the last Prez. You know, the one you voted in twice,' I thought but didn't say. Yes, in this chimera I was diplomatic -- that's how you can tell it was a dream.

Things fell far short of hope/growth/peace and way long on those brick walls of hardhearted, misplaced rage and ignorance.

Ooph. I was very glad when that mega load of frustration ended but the next dream was, well, also complicated.
What happened? I’d killed someone. Who? why? Dunno and guess they just caught me on a bad, short tempered day.

I knew I had to duck the law -- get outta town. I took the train down to New York so I could hide out in my Aunt Mary Ann’s apartment. Not only was she still alive, in this bad and good specter, she was around my age, happily married with two young kids. They had a house out in Forest Hills/Queens  but kept the studio apartment at 46th and 2nd Ave for weekend excursions in town.

This refuge might have worked a treat. After all, what better way to hide out than in a crowd and where can you find bigger crowds than in Manhattan, near Times Square and the UN?

The hitch -- I didn’t change my name and the dude helping me get onto a new health insurance plan found me out. He ratted me out to the coppers while he was giving me a status report as to when my new plan would kick in.

Meantime...

The apartment was musty -- it hadn’t been occupied in a very long time -- so I went about cleaning and tidying. It was then that Mary Ann and kiddles walked in. She looked calmer and happier than I’d ever seen her in real life.

It was clear that my offing someone was no big thing -- not worth a second thought. A piffle really. Whatever went down, well, she trusted me to have made the best decision and followed through with appropriate action.

God, it’s great to be loved and trusted.
Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream -- Simon and Garfunkel