rshort1202
Lurker

I have parked in a parking garage, in a spot either outlined in red or with a red sign. I think I am cognizant of the fact that I’m not able to park here without repercussions, but proceed to do so anyway. When I come back, there is a boot on the tire with a red wire that kind of looks like a bike lock. There is a middle aged man here who sees it and jokingly says he’ll clip it for me. I laugh along with him, silently wishing he actually would. Abby is here too, and she points out some damage on the front of my car. (For a moment, the car is a bike?) These little scrapes in the paint make me fairly angry, especially because they were done by whoever put the boot on. I think we discuss taking pictures, so we can negate my legal incurrence or reprimand the authority that placed the boot. Now I think I’m briefly in a movie theater - to see a Dead and Co show? Many have tie dye on; we’re all excited. Somehow, the band is ‘tied’ with someone else, 4 to 4, so whoever ‘wins’ tonight wins it all. This only increases the anticipation and excitation. I am now at what I think is Dad’s (though it looks different). The living room is long and low, cool and dim, feeling almost subterranean. There is seating and some pillars, almost maze-like. There are kids here, as well as a few guys my age. Those guys are in dark green and earth tone tie dyes that suit their look well - not over-the-top tie dye. We are here celebrating the concert and periodically checking the ‘score’ (on a TV?) There is food out on the counters. Alex is here, on a reclining chair. I go over and crouch down, propping my elbows on the armrest. I am going to express my excitement, but he’s talking with someone else, so I never get the chance. I now go outside and begin turning on many light switches. The lights that come on are small and not very bright, but are warm, with a nice effect on the dark yard (it feels like the side with the barbecues). I hear some people talking just up around the corner, and I think I hear Melissa’s voice. Sure enough, I catch a glimpse of her pale skin and kinky hair. She is sitting on a bench with a few other girls. Before she or they can see me, I sneak up around the corner and in front of Melissa. This is the first time I have seen her since I’ve been back, so I give her a big hug for a long time. I kiss her too, and sense some hesitation, probably because we’re in front of those others.



I’m with Melissa, Alex, and one other in a car. We’re going to get chicken nuggets. Alex is wearing grey sweats and a brightly colored shirt/long sleeve. He’s asleep in the seat behind the driver’s. When he wakes up, we tell him what we’re doing. This causes him to become extremely angered, yelling, and red in the face. I begin to laugh as I find it comical, because I think he’s kidding, but quickly stop myself when I realize he is not. He wanted to use a coupon or something, it being the sole reason for wanting to go. It becomes very silent, intrusively so. Everyone looks shocked and almost a little sad. I see Melissa’s eyes in the rear view mirror (I think I’m in the back).



I am in what I can only describe as some other land. The area is fairly wide open and brown. It doesn’t seem like a dry brown, but more of a muddy brown. There is a large, languid river and surrounding boulders. It has a prehistoric feeling to it. Some others are here with me. We climb up the brown rocks (mostly a scramble) that seem to be made of an odd material - rubbery but firm. Each rock is a different letter? and parts of the rock seem to be made of that letter. The rocks are also huge, ancient turtles? I think they’re speaking. Now, we have made it back and are approaching a house on a hill. It looks like twilight or just thereafter. I think we’re having a family dinner here, and I want to order a glass of wine with it for a change.

I am with Dad, getting food inside a Starbucks. We’re going to take it somewhere, so I have to cover it. The food looks like fried rice with something on it - some cooked food that you would not really find at a Starbucks. It comes out in a small, shallow, long cardboard container. I cover it with another same but empty container. I try to cover it completely, but the pieces of cardboard have become smaller. I ask the girl working for two pieces of tape, remembering the masking tape they have, and end up with two pieces of scotch tape. They secure the coverings on the food fairly well. Now, Dad, Makayla, and I are walking into My Pie with the food. We sit at the counter, and Dad says some of the food is for Makayla - but not my sister, a Makayla working here? It almost feels like they are the same though and just in two different places at the same time? We start eating some of the food, as well as some food from My Pie. A lady abruptly comes over and tells the three of us that we need to leave and waits by the door. I think they leave, but I do not. I ask them why we have to leave, but they won’t leave [?]. To me, this merits my not leaving. I am sure it is because of us bringing and eating our food, but since they will not simply tell me that, I am choosing to stay and make a scene about it. I notice the whole room is full of seated people - all employees?- watching. There is at least one table of non-employees; Gunnar is seated at the end and side closest to me. Our gazes briefly meet, and on the second occurrence of this we both smile and nod at each other. To be even more of an ass right now, I go over to talk to him. I crouch down and place my hand on his shoulder, asking something like ‘hey buddy, how’s it going?’ His hair is cut shorter, in that sort of styled bowl cut almost all young teen boys wear, and it causes him to look much younger (just about what he looked like in elementary school). Though he smiles, I see sadness behind his eyes. I remember what Reilly did to him and think he must still be hurt from it. I think there is some empathy in his gaze as well. I think about how we have both cut our hair short since, and wonder if he might comment on it or just stick with the silent knowing that we both went through about the same thing. He is sitting by another blonde boy that also looks very juvenile and suspiciously like Nelson Neiman (maybe just a slightly older Nelson). I am now back to making a scene again and asking for the manager. There are two ladies, and I’m not sure which is which position and not sure how each feels about the situation. One of them tells me her name is Tanya? It seems to be just us and the spectating employees now. There is a counter between her and me - it kind of looks like we’re in a kitchen (kind of like the one is Kris’ condo). When she’s still talking but has turned away from me, I duck down behind the counter, thinking it’ll be funny to have her turn around and see me missing. Right before this, it almost felt like we were going to fight. I understand they have the right to tell us to leave, but we also need to know why. Makayla’s thoughts about this whole thing enter my consideration - I’m not sure how she feels about it. It occurs to me that I might be jeopardizing some employees (all except for a core group that’s not as dispensable to them?) but I continue to push it. I end up running out of the building when she is not looking. I walk around the outside of this house, still trying to stay out of sight. I notice employees walking around in groups. There are three a little ways out by what looks like a small river. I let some spot me, and when they do, they return to the house. I round the corner, right into another group, but jump over them. I think I’ve just showered and have a towel on.

Makayla is sitting in some open type area that seems like a pier. It is a bench type seat that seems to be right above some shallow water. The water extends a ways under the covering. It is fairly dim. By her is a large case of beer that has different slots for the different types. I think it has cans and bottles. She is opening a stout bottle and pouring it into a glass. I try it and tell her it is too cold and needs to be warmer. Surprisingly, she agrees with this. I want to have my own, so I open and pour a bottle, but it is the wrong color - a hazy orangey yellow. I see that this is some IPA with a blue label with a fish on it. It is good though, and I am still going to finish it. Later? I am looking for Makayla. I walk down to a row of houses from which I can see the ocean right behind. I am going to go between two houses, but see that it is still pretty much their yard and that there are some people out. I end up seeing Makayla through the screen window of a brown RV that is also close to the ocean. I look up to the window above me and talk to her a bit.



Melissa has on a floral dress and apparently nothing on under it. She has crawled onto me with a certain degree of fervor and is riding me ‘in reverse’. It’s a very nice moment. The Grateful Dead is on in the background; they’re playing an early (1974) They Love Each Other. After a few lines, he stops singing while the music continues, as if he has forgotten lyrics. I think I was the one singing and couldn’t remember any further?

I am outside and entering some building. I pass a group of three who are sitting on the ground, appearing to be homeless or otherwise in search of some assistance. Their handcrafted signs held proclaim this, though they do have a van, albeit a fairly broken down looking one. The van is scattered with random things, mostly necessities. They ask me for something specific - shoes? I sort of mumble something about thinking about it and slowly sneak away. When I enter this building - a house? - though, something resonates with me, and I want to help them out, so I start going through the clothes in this room. I gather some shoes, small pink gloves, very small underwear (mine from when I was a kid?), and some other small articles. Gathered up in my arms, I return to the three. When they see me, their faces fill with equal parts shock and gratitude. I sit with them, and they express it. I want to know their story, and we end up talking. It becomes mostly them (a girl and two boys?) asking about my life. They ask what I do for work, and I tell them I work at a preschool 9-6 Monday through Friday. We start talking about hiking, presumably because of the shoes, and they ask the longest hike I’ve ever done. Remembering it, I tell them the longest hike I’ve ever done was probably Half Dome.



I am in what seems to be an extremely large tap house [As I write this, I remember how Jon described a cave by the ocean as like a cathedral last night. This is the same feeling I am getting of this place]. The space is so open and almost stale (kind of like Maui Brewing Co). Everything is grey and angular and sleek. I approach the tall counter and crane my neck far back to read the giant board of options. Despite the plethora, I don’t see the type I am looking for. Dad is here too. I end up getting a very tiny replica of the Washington Monument (I think I was thinking of the Eiffel Tower at first, but recalling it now, it was definitely solid, with the prism shaped top). I get a saltwater solution to rinse it off with? and do so. It almost looks like we are outside, or like this side of the building slowly blends into the outside. It is dark out and tropical.

I am at Melissa’s house. Outside, the front of it looks the same or at least has the same layout, but the inside is different. Her mom is here with us too, and I think we are helping her with something. We go into a small room/pantry to put something away. I either lift Melissa up or she lifts herself up, but she sits up on something so she is a little higher up than me. She is completely nude, and I start kissing down her body. I start at her belly and go as low as I can with her legs being together. I make it down to the patch of slight stubble. I think we are going to go back out now, and I am cognizant of how much time we have spent in here for just putting something away.