rshort1202

Melissa has had a baby. I’m looking at it in her arms, obviously newborn, and realize that it’s happened all of a sudden. There seems to have been no idea of it happening and even no gestation. After a little while I realize that it is mine too, and think about what this will entail in regards to my life.

I am in some unfamiliar town with Jackie Greene. I think the town may be in Arizona or Colorado (I had been looking at a digital map of the US and zooming in around that area, surprised by how much of it was forested). It sort of feels like a mountain town, small, isolated, buildings with large wood exteriors, yet not high in elevation. We’re walking through the town and it is very pleasant out. We’re talking about his music and/or me seeing him. I tell him the first time I saw him was at Strawberry and then add ‘2007’ or ‘2017’ to be more specific. I hope I’m not being too annoying about anything, but don’t think I am.

I’m at work (I’m not sure where, but it feels like some kind of retail store). I notice a quiet Asian girl wandering around and, as I perceive it, ‘scoping out the place’. I make a mental note of it but don’t do anything else. Now, I see her in a small garage (right outside of but still part of the store?), crouching down by a car. She’s taken off its license plate and is measuring it. I think this is too suspicious, so we go out and stop/talk to her.




I’m with Melissa and Brooke in what seems like downtown. We’re by the river and a large bridge. To the side of the bridge is a large tree or tree trunk protruding out almost parallelly over the water. I think this tree is some sort of monument (911?). We walk out onto it to have our picture taken, but end up breaking it, which feels very serious.

I am with Makayla in what looks like Dad’s neighborhood. It looks very similar except that it’s on a fairly steep hill. We’re walking around an exposed bend and through a red truck’s window I see the silhouette of a female figure. She appears to be putting on clothes, or at least that’s what it looks like from my brief glimpse. We get closer and I see that it’s a young girl and boy (~10?) in the truck, and after a moment I wonder how that could be. Now, we are past the neighborhood. This area looks like open Nevada desert with slight ravines here and there. Down in one of the larger ones I notice a house. It looks like the past’s idea of something futuristic - sleek and vertical pipes/tubes, slightly sprawling and complex. I think this one is all a dull red. There is really nothing on or around it that would designate it a house. The whole feeling of and around it is lifeless. I think we pass a few more odd structures that I label ‘house’. I think or say something like ‘oh Nevada, you’re so weird.’ There is now a large rock pile visible at the top of a slight incline. It looks like red rock and/or granite and is maybe 30 feet tall. They’re arranged so there is an open space beneath them. I briefly see someone passing through this space, overriding the thought of being completely alone out here. We approach it and see that there are a few ornamentations on it, one being a series of steel rungs to form a ladder. I climb up a few, turn around and hang from one arm, lifting my shirt to just above the nipple, telling Makayla to take a picture. I think I’m making fun of Ziah? A few people, a type I definitely wouldn’t associate with, arrive, and Makayla is instantly preoccupied with them. This kind of annoys me. I’m in the open space beneath the rocks now, and it is filled with different stickers, posters, pictures, writing, etc. It is strange and I really like it. I am alternately wearing a mask, wearing it below my chin, and holding it at my side. I notice a man without a mask walks in with a baby stroller. He’s now with a woman in the corner of the ‘room.’ There is a window above them and a man tapping at the outside of it, apparently to get their attention. I look at the man and point to the couple (*though this makes no sense, as he’s already seen them).

I am at work. There is a man in line who has a few things and looks somewhat sketchy. He gets up to the counter and asks for some ice because he’s ‘recycling’ his beer. I think this means it’s warmed up and he’s trying to cool it down rather than throw it away. I tell him to hang on a second and go back to get some. I tell a guy in the back this scenario, as if I had to tell him yes. I’m still not sure if this is something we’re supposed to do, but I think it’s fine. The ice bin is long and also full of fabric bags. I fill one, unsure of how much he really needs. Back in the front, I see him with a small stack of DVDs and casually rushing out the front door. Julia is here and says something like ‘Wow, well go kick him out’ as if this was obviously my fault. I run out to at least get a plate. He’s gotten into a small, rusty yellow car with a woman in the passenger’s seat. He has to back straight out, so I see the plate, but it has a plastic covering and the numbers behind it start spinning like a combination lock. Terribly smart, I think, even though it’s disappointing. I pick up a rock and throw it but miss. I try a few more times, even as they’re stopped at a red light down the street.

I am at Melissa’s house and logged onto Dante’s Zoom class fairly late. Alex, and I think Cody, are here and at times they can be seen in my background (I have moved around a few different times). I hear Alex ask Cody if he likes the Tedeschi Trucks band. He pronounces it ‘ta-deshy’, whether seriously or not I’m not sure. I know I started out in front of a blue curtain, but now I’m in a little hallway between the garage and house. I’m wearing a hat and/or hoodie and Melissa says something about them not recognizing me. Melissa steps over me once and once again on her way back - it is almost sexual. I’m not sure I’m worried about anyone seeing. Now I think we’re on a break and I’m in what looks like Dad’s backyard. We’re back now and playing a Jeopardy type game. I don’t think I’ve even had my volume up for most of this class. I think the class is scheduled to go later but he cuts it a little early. I am eating some chicken nuggets or strips. The sky looks like a nice later afternoon with a few stray clouds.

I am walking up to a restaurant. The exterior seems large and through the few large windows I see that it is completely empty inside. There are tables and chairs set out like normal, but there is not a single person. Now I think I’m inside and notice signs related to the restrictions and shut downs. I continue on and down some stairs, finding a completely full dining room on this lower level, making me think the signs were just a guise. I notice that everyone is dressed business casual or nicer. There is also no social distancing or any other apparent measures. I’m now sitting at a table with Alex, Melissa, and some others. The menu is Mexican, and I pick out something relatively quick, yet when the waitress comes over I’ve completely forgotten. I think I tell her this and then end up ordering the thing I wanted. I have taken a small edible and I think it’s kicking in. Everything feels slightly fuzzy and a little funnier. I laugh at small things but am not completely out of it. The food shows up and I start with my rice and beans. About halfway or so through them, I start to think there is no entrée on the plate. I then find it on the far side of the plate, a tiny, smothered burrito. I am about to start it when I notice that everyone else looks just about finished, making me a little self conscious.

I am walking up to a larger seeming store, apparently to return a bag of dog food. I notice that people entering and exiting through the foyer don’t have masks on, so I’m thinking it’s not something we have to worry about anymore. Still, I have a mask in my hand and/or pocket that I’m ready to put on. I can’t do it before I enter because of my carrying this large bag. Just a few steps into the foyer, a masked employee tells me to put on a mask. Now, I am further into the large, busy store. I’m at what looks like a hardware or even food counter and around the side of it is a place to return the bag. I walk over and set it down in front of the 2-3 indifferent male employees. Again, I don’t notice many masks. Now, I am leaving and Melissa is driving. We seem to be at the top of the hill. It is typical Nevada, yet there is something scenic about it. I think it may be that some greenery is starting to show. Melissa starts taking us the wrong way. I can see this on a map on my phone? There is a loop and had she gone the other direction we’d quickly be where we need to be, but she’s taken the long way that includes a few switchbacks. I think I mention this and it upsets her. I think this way ends up being very pretty. When we get back, I look at the map to see exactly where that was.

I am scraping my tongue with some kind of brush. It almost seems like a toothbrush, but with a bigger head. The bristles are a very hard plastic and very close together. After a scrape or two, I see that it is very effective. Despite what it has already removed, there is still a thick layer of bright green gunk on my whole tongue. Melissa is here and I either tell her or think to myself that I don’t want her to look.

I am in Brittney’s new place (it doesn’t really look like her new place), with Melissa. It seems dim either outside or in here. Right now, it’s just Melissa and me in the living room, and I don’t see Brittney. The living room is long and narrow, including a couch, tv, fireplace, and sliding door at its end. Each is staggered to give an illusion of multiple areas within the one. I tell Melissa that I like this, but she doesn’t seem to be listening too closely. I get up and, thinking that was all of the apartment, discover a new space. It is seen only from the kitchen and is another small living room with a bedroom at each end. It doesn’t have much décor but does have some random things on the floor. Now, we are about to go somewhere. I am outside, down by the pool. There is a deep washing machine inset in the ground, through which I am looking for shorts to put on because it’s going to be warm out. The clothes seem damp, and I toss them into the empty pool as I go. Once I’m almost all the way through, it occurs to me that it made no sense to throw them all in there. I consider spreading them out a bit so they’ll dry? Now I am by a larger, black truck. It seems to only have two front seats, one of which is just a space and not a seat. I don’t think I see a steering wheel. I think this truck is either Russian or belongs to a Russian, but I refer to it as Ivan something in my head. I am now driving the truck. It is dark out and the truck seems more normal inside. On the display screen I see a text pop up, someone asking if I’m on my way. There is an option on the bottom to change the language.