rshort1202

I am outside with some people from work. From where we are, we can see downtown. It is fairly far away, but close enough to make out one building from another. There is a sense of something happening or about to happen. I say ‘I want some action’ and then start to regret my words as what looks and sounds like fireworks starts going off among all the buildings. I realize they are not fireworks, but explosions, their thick grey clouds lingering. I think we’ll be safe out here, until I hear and see mini explosions approaching rapidly in a straight line. I see they are actually shots fired from a helicopter. They pass close enough that were the line of them a few feet closer they easily would’ve taken us out. Kyle from work casually says not to go downtown for a while. She says that the people there have guns and will be fighting back. I think Mom is downtown and I am flooded with worry, imagining all the carnage.




I am at what I think is Disneyland with Melissa and her mom. There is a tiny parking lot, an ‘L’ shape with maybe 12 spaces, where at least one person has parked between two spaces. I think I comment on this. Now I am parking a small motorized something that I stand upon. I reverse and nose back in a few times, trying to get it perfectly straight. Her mom tells me ‘that’s probably good.’ There is some dense green foliage around the lot and I think around a small body of water.

I am somewhere outside, by a fairly wide and deep seeming river and what looks like an old, overgrown stone bridge. I think I am somehow above the water and under the bridge, moving forward. Now, I am either under the water or envisioning the sensation of myself under the water. It feels very real, and I seem to be on my back and drowning. I submit to it (I think it’s supposed to be like I’m laying on my back in bed and feeling the sensation of falling asleep).




I am downtown (it looks slightly different - I am on more of a grassy hillside with walking paths) and it is very crowded. The paths are all filled and everyone is walking very slowly. I get irritated and go around them, walking on the grass uphill.

I am walking around downtown, and there seems to be an event going on. I walk into a smaller coffee shop, right behind a group of three girls about my age. They sort of spilt up in the line, so that I am in front of one of them. She is talking sort of excitedly about how she is going to get something with eight shots, as if her caffeine tolerance is just really high. I think one of the others orders and then they try to get me to go. I politely decline, asking if they’re sure, since I thought they got here first. They coax me into going, so I step up to the wooden counter. The barista is kind and friendly, with dirty blond/brown hair and tan skin; she seems familiar from somewhere. I ask for an iced Americano with five shots instead of the four I think it usually comes with. She says she’s already got one started, holding out a larger sized cup that’s full, too full for my preference, of ice. When the finished drink comes out, I take it over to a wooden bench along the wall opposite the building’s front wall and window. The evening light shines golden, drenching the place in a peaceful, languid haze. There are a few others sitting around, quietly keeping to themselves. There is a very laid back vibe, either caused by or enhanced by the lighting. I notice the girl who wanted eight shots is seated to my left, sitting lengthwise with the bench, her knees bent and feet up. She is wearing shorter black athletic shorts and is on her phone. She has two smaller bags on the bench, one placed on top of the other. They start to tilt and then the top one completely falls off, taking the other partially with it. I try but fail to get her attention. Now, I consider trying to talk to her or the other two also, but I don’t really want to bother them, as they don’t need anyone to talk to. I’m not sure what I’m going to do now, except maybe sit here for a while.

I am at 10 Torr for a celebration for one of the cousin’s graduation. This place looks similar, but not exactly the same. It seems to be a little smaller and a bit more homey. It’s still a square room but has more of a kitchen vibe due to the counter and the décor. It also seems to be wrapping up; Aly is behind the counter, putting things away. It seems like nobody is left at this point. I was going to try one more drink, but I’ll be fine without it. Mom is sitting with me at the counter. It looks like it’s going to be closed now, but then a 20-something year old guy shows up behind the bar. It seems they’re now open or regular business. Two girls, maybe in their late 20s or early 30s, are already taking a seat at the bar. The guy looks to them, looking a little disheveled. The girl closer to me starts ordering something with orange/grapefruit juice, but the girl by her completely cuts her off, ordering something with the same juice but a little more specific. The guy doesn’t seem to care; he lets her finish and then turns to the first girl to let her finish. The first girl waits a moment and then makes a snide comment to the other. The guy is now looking to us. I notice two small, empty glasses on the counter in front of us, and it worries me for a moment, making me think for some reason that Mom might have a drink. I ask for ‘just a coffee liqueur and vodka’, oddly self conscious of my voice. Mom orders something kind of specific that I’ve never heard of; it sounds like some kind of mock tail. The drinks come out quickly, and it looks like they’re in small white bowls and not glasses. Mom’s looks like a strawberry ice cream or really frothy strawberry milk topped with whipped cream and a slice of banana. Mine looks like it has cream in it and then it tastes like it does too. When the guy comes back over I assertively but kindly tell him what it was supposed to be, and he fixes it. I now try Mom’, and it does seem nonalcoholic. Her face looks a little sad to me. Melissa has been waiting in a car outside, and I’ve been texting her. She’s being kind of sassy. I’m not sure why she’s just been waiting out there. I look outside and briefly see her and it looks like she’s changed into a pajama shirt.



(fragment) I am outside and climbing/ scrambling around on some granite boulders all together and overlapping one another. I hear Kat? narrating like Jon (or Luke Larson?) is climbing, though it’s definitely just me here. She is sort of talking it up and pointing out the danger of the boulders being right behind you. I am in street shoes and sort of pulling on some holds and playing with different moves. The grainy holds are pretty decent and slightly chalked. I don’t think it’s even completely vertical, and I don’t think it’s all that hard. I think the boulder behind you is close enough that you could put out a leg or arm and stop yourself before you would fall into it. This small boulder field slowly turns into the top of a backyard. I’m standing on top of the smaller boulders with Kat, looking toward the house. There is a small, neat lawn and a few neat trees nearer the house. The house also gives the impression of being neat.



(fragment) I am at work with Laynie and a small group has done a grab and run out of the door 18 emergency exit. We catch up with them in the stairwell. It’s about 3-4 teens or preteens. One of the girls is reminiscent of the blond 13 year old girl that was taking pictures of herself doing gang signs. She sort of talks back, but ultimately we are in control. We are being hard on them but they seem to not get it. I think we have them out in the parking lot.



(fragment) I’m with Scott and Tyson? downtown when they see something going on through a hotel room. We are going to go in to see what’s going on. These hotel rooms seem to be in an overpass that we are walking under. I don’t like not being able to see and not really know what’s going on. I think it has to do with a shooting or someone with a gun.