Dream Come True?
Ted Armis rubbed his temples with his fingers. “What does it mean?”
Leonard Sheridian took a swig from his beer bottle. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”
“But it's so vivid, so real, I swear it's actually happening.”
“But it's not,” Leonard said, set the bottle back on the formica counter between them, leaned back in the red cushioned booth and put his hands on the back of his head. “It's not real. Only seems real. Not is. Seems.”
“Each night it gets clearer, lasts longer.”
Leonard shrugged. “It's nothing. Your mind's working overtime.” He called a waitress over and ordered another beer. “Quit searching for interpretations, deeper meanings.”
“There's no interpreting,” Ted said. “She's there, I see her. She turns. It's her.”
“Looks like her,” Leonard corrected. “You didn't say it was her for sure.”
Ted's lips undulated. “I'm pretty sure.”
“Pretty sure doesn't cut it.”
“But this dream is so lucid; it's telling me something.”
“Telling you you're nuts.”
“I mean it. What about that guy in 1979? He dreamt a plane would crash at O'hare airport. And it did. Worst crash due to mechanical failure in U.S. history.”
“But he couldn't pinpoint specifics. Some psychic vision,” Leonard said.
“Just remember, his dream stopped after that.”
“Big deal. He created a self-fulfilling prophecy, said he wouldn't have it anymore so he didn't.”
“You don't believe in psychic phenomena?”
“I'm saying in this case it's not true.”
“You wouldn't say that if you had the dream.”
The waitress returned, gave Leonard his beer and took the empty bottle. Leonard eyed her well figured physique.
“Do you believe dreams can be premonitions?” Ted asked the waitress.
The red haired girl put a hand on her chin then pointed. “Yeah. As long as I'm in it and some handsome, wealthy guy wants to marry me.” She noticed Leonard eyeing her. “Someone unlike yourself,” she told him and left.
Ted whistled. “Got you good.”
“Not unlike Marcia's got you good. Bad,” Leonard said. “She doesn't want you. Left you over a year ago.”
“We went our separate ways,” Ted said and his right hand became a fist. “It was mutual. We felt we couldn't go any farther.” He thought of his dream, shook his head. “But neither of us wanted to break up, we just felt like ..”
“Like what?”
“I dunno. Like ..”
“Like sex was all you had?” Leonard chuckled. “ 'cause I know she wasn't after you for your looks. Or personality. Must've been the sex.”
Ted gave a false grin. “Funny.”
“So why'd you break up?”
“I don't know.” Ted eased his clenched hand. “But this .. dream ..”
“Forewarning,” Leonard said with a smirk.
“Glad you agree with me,” Ted said with a smile.
“I do. Just not in this case.”
“Whatever.” Ted checked his watch. “Getting late. Think I'll go home.”
“Pay attention to that dream tonight. Talk to her,” Leonard said. “See what she says.”
“Funny.”
“I'm serious,” Leonard said. “I believe dreams have meaning.”
“Sure,” Ted said and left.
He had the dream again, saw Marcia. Or whom he believed was her, she in profile, her shoulder length blonde hair blowing in the Oklahoma breeze. Her right eye—it seemed to be blue, like hers—glistened in the streetlight's glow. She seemed to smile, her eyes bright when she noticed Ted.
“I knew I'd find you here. I'm so glad to see you,” she said, her arms open though they blocked her face, Ted unable to tell if it was her. “It's been so long since ..”
Ted awoke in cold sweats.
“You need sleep,” Leonard said the next day. “Those bags under your eyes look like a quarterback's eye black.”
Ted gave a half smile. “I'm telling ya, she's trying to tell me something.”
“What?”
“I don't know. But each night the dream gets longer.”
“You're still not over her.”
Ted thought for a minute. “Guess not,” he said, managed a grin.
“You're obsessed with her.”
“It's more than that. I can feel it.”
“If you say so,” Leonard said. “Though I think you're reading too much into it. Besides, Marcia's in Colorado, long ways away. She's not comin' anytime soon.”
“I know,” Ted said. “Yet ..” He couldn't finish the sentence.
Again the dream that night: Marcia smiled, turned.
“I knew I'd find you here ... it's been so long since we saw each other. I'm so glad I made it back to Stillwater to tell you ..”
Ted's cold sweats returned. He panted, caught his breath and rubbed his eyes. An hour passed before he fell asleep.
Next night, same thing, except the last sentence extended to, “tell you how much ..”
“Damn!” Ted said, sotto voce. He gathered the bed sheets in his fists then loosened them. “C'mon,” he said to his apartment's walls. “Let me know.”
The next two nights were the same. Then he got a call.
“Hey.” It was Vern, a former dorm buddy. “Didja hear who's coming to town?”
“Santa Claus?”
“What a comedian,” Vern said. “Marcia.”
Ted gasped. “Who?”
“Marcia. Your woman.”
“Ex,” Ted said.
“I know. But you guys were so serious we thought it was down the aisle for you two. Why'd she dump you anyway?”
Ted flinched, grit his teeth. “We separated amicably. Both of us. It was mutual.”
“If ya say so. But she's comin' back. Tomorrow.”
Ted's mind sang 'Ode to Joy' but he gathered himself. “That is nice,” he said calmly. “If we cross paths I’d be glad to converse with her, communicate as much and ..”
“Why are ya talkin’ like you're one of the royal family?”
“I'm not,” Ted said. “But should I run into her, that's fine. We'll talk, exchange pleasantries and say adios.”
“Man,” Vern said. “If it'd been me with a girl for over a year and we met again, I'd be in bed with her in an hour.”
“That's why you don't have a girl,” Ted said. “Your heart is below your beltline.”
Both boys laughed.
“See ya,” Vern said. “And if you do see her, good luck.”
“Thanks. But we're just friends.”
“Uh-huh,” Vern said, dubious. “Bye.”
The dream was the same, only Marcia (or the girl Ted believed was Marcia) turned her head further.
“It's been so long since we saw each other. I'm so glad I made it back to Stillwater to tell you how much I ..”
Ted came to, gasped like a race horse.
“Calm down,” he said. “Means nothing. You're obsessed, that's all.”
But his mind and stomach felt otherwise. And he remembered something he hadn't seen in past sequences. She'd turned far enough this time, he saw it. Below her ear. The scar. From stitches when she said she fell off her bike at six.
It is her, he thought, raised his hands in triumph and imagined seeing her, how it would be, what they would say. I know she's telling me she missed me, wants to go back to school here and make up. That's the rest of her sentence. I know it. He beamed and relaxed on the bed, fell asleep in minutes.
The day arrived. Ted got up, went to Finance class. Just before going in, he saw a girl with blonde, shoulder length hair and blue eyes. He inhaled. Then exhaled. Not Marcia.
“Damn,” he whispered as the dream played in his mind.
After Finance, he went to Intermediate Accounting. He got up to leave and saw a girl. Blonde hair. Same size as her. He pressed his lips together. And sighed. Not her.
Next he went to Economics. Every girl with blonde hair near the shoulders caused Ted to turn. None were Marcia.
He and Leonard went out for dinner.
“Is that her?” Leonard said whenever a girl like Marcia came into view.
“Shut up,” Ted teased back.
They returned to Ted's place as darkness took over.
Leonard looked at the time as they watched t.v. on the old couch. “It's past midnight, day's over. I'm sure she's in bed now.” He chuckled. “Maybe with another guy. Guess your dream was just that. A dream. A wish. Fairy tale. Now move on with your life.”
“I know,” Ted said and though his stomach pinched and his heart seemed to be in the soles of his shoes, he smiled. “Never meant to be.”
“That's the spirit,” Leonard said, slapped Ted's thigh and stood. “Let's go have a drink. On me.”
Ted sighed. “I dunno.”
“Come on, drown your sorrows, put her behind ya. At least the dream won't happen anymore.”
“You're right,” Ted said, got up. The two visited an off campus pub, had some drinks, met friends and went to the strip, a street next to campus with the most popular bars and hang outs.
“Let's go,” Ted told Leonard after visiting several bars and the two went home.
“So dreams don't always come true,” Leonard said. “Don't worry, lots of other hens in the hen house.”
“I know,” Ted said. “It's just that ...”
A voice spoke. Familiar. Then the words.
“I knew I'd find you here. I'm so glad to see you.”
Ted recognized the voice. His skin goosepimpled. His heart seemed frozen. He stopped breathing. The voice continued.
“It's been so long since we saw each other. I'm so glad I made it back to Stillwater to tell you ..”
Ted turned. His face went white and his hands palsied. Then he smiled, looked at Leonard, also pale faced. Ted's grin grew. His heart felt as if on fire.
He looked at her to be sure though he knew who it was. It was her. Marcia, her blonde hair blowing in the Oklahoma breeze. The street light shone on her, she in profile. Her head turned, her lips went up and her eyes twinkled in the streetlight's glow. She continued to speak.
“.. tell you how much I care about ..”
Ted ran up to her, wrapped his arms around her. “I missed you too. It's so good to see you. Haven't stopped thinking about you since you left.” He pressed her to his body. Her jasmine-scented perfume relaxed and excited him, the best he'd ever smelled on a girl. He went to kiss her.
“What the hell are you doing?” the girl said.
Ted's lips met a hand. He pulled back and observed the woman. It was Marcia.
“Whadya mean? It's me, Ted.”
Marcia cringed. “Oh God, Ted. Get away from me.”
“But you just said how glad you were to make it back to Stillwater, see me, and ..”
Marcia pushed him away. “Not you.” She shuffled to the sidewalk where an older man stood and wrapped her arms around this guy. “Him,” she said and pressed her lips on his cheek. “My Uncle Louie.” She hugged him. “I was in town, tried to call but you weren't around. Shoulda figured you'd be out carousing.”
“Marcia!” the man said and returned the hug. “My favorite niece. What are you doing here?”
“Going back to school.” She separated from her uncle. “You were right, work is hard so I'm re-enrolling here. Wanted to thank you for your monetary support and advice. Mom said you're leaving tomorrow for Europe until next month on business so I had to find you. What a surprise that you'd be near a bar.”
“Well, it’s great you’re returning to school, honey. Glad you're back. You're making the right choice.”
Marcia leaned her head on her uncle's shoulder. “You've been so good. Just had to say thanks. See you when you get back.”
“You bet,” the uncle said then looked at Ted and Leonard. “Who're these two? They know you?”
“Oh them,” Marcia said and led her uncle quickly past them. “Bad memories from my past.” She looked over her shoulder, glared at Ted, and pointed. “Especially that one. He's very strange. You saw him attack me then claim I was his girlfriend. Only in his dreams.”
The uncle laughed and the two left.
Leonard punched a hand on Ted's shoulder and tittered. “Sometimes dreams come true. Just not the way you expect.” He burst into laughter and doubled over.
“Shut up.” Ted grinned and grabbed Leonard by the neck. “C'mon, knucklehead, let's go home.”
THE END
THE IDEA BEHIND THIS ONE—Hadn’t done many humorous stories and since Dream International Quarterly magazine (now defunct) had published several stories of mine, I thought something humorous about dreams would be a good story. So I came up with this one—a humorous (I hope) take on how dreams can easily be misinterpreted.
Ted Armis rubbed his temples with his fingers. “What does it mean?”
Leonard Sheridian took a swig from his beer bottle. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”
“But it's so vivid, so real, I swear it's actually happening.”
“But it's not,” Leonard said, set the bottle back on the formica counter between them, leaned back in the red cushioned booth and put his hands on the back of his head. “It's not real. Only seems real. Not is. Seems.”
“Each night it gets clearer, lasts longer.”
Leonard shrugged. “It's nothing. Your mind's working overtime.” He called a waitress over and ordered another beer. “Quit searching for interpretations, deeper meanings.”
“There's no interpreting,” Ted said. “She's there, I see her. She turns. It's her.”
“Looks like her,” Leonard corrected. “You didn't say it was her for sure.”
Ted's lips undulated. “I'm pretty sure.”
“Pretty sure doesn't cut it.”
“But this dream is so lucid; it's telling me something.”
“Telling you you're nuts.”
“I mean it. What about that guy in 1979? He dreamt a plane would crash at O'hare airport. And it did. Worst crash due to mechanical failure in U.S. history.”
“But he couldn't pinpoint specifics. Some psychic vision,” Leonard said.
“Just remember, his dream stopped after that.”
“Big deal. He created a self-fulfilling prophecy, said he wouldn't have it anymore so he didn't.”
“You don't believe in psychic phenomena?”
“I'm saying in this case it's not true.”
“You wouldn't say that if you had the dream.”
The waitress returned, gave Leonard his beer and took the empty bottle. Leonard eyed her well figured physique.
“Do you believe dreams can be premonitions?” Ted asked the waitress.
The red haired girl put a hand on her chin then pointed. “Yeah. As long as I'm in it and some handsome, wealthy guy wants to marry me.” She noticed Leonard eyeing her. “Someone unlike yourself,” she told him and left.
Ted whistled. “Got you good.”
“Not unlike Marcia's got you good. Bad,” Leonard said. “She doesn't want you. Left you over a year ago.”
“We went our separate ways,” Ted said and his right hand became a fist. “It was mutual. We felt we couldn't go any farther.” He thought of his dream, shook his head. “But neither of us wanted to break up, we just felt like ..”
“Like what?”
“I dunno. Like ..”
“Like sex was all you had?” Leonard chuckled. “ 'cause I know she wasn't after you for your looks. Or personality. Must've been the sex.”
Ted gave a false grin. “Funny.”
“So why'd you break up?”
“I don't know.” Ted eased his clenched hand. “But this .. dream ..”
“Forewarning,” Leonard said with a smirk.
“Glad you agree with me,” Ted said with a smile.
“I do. Just not in this case.”
“Whatever.” Ted checked his watch. “Getting late. Think I'll go home.”
“Pay attention to that dream tonight. Talk to her,” Leonard said. “See what she says.”
“Funny.”
“I'm serious,” Leonard said. “I believe dreams have meaning.”
“Sure,” Ted said and left.
He had the dream again, saw Marcia. Or whom he believed was her, she in profile, her shoulder length blonde hair blowing in the Oklahoma breeze. Her right eye—it seemed to be blue, like hers—glistened in the streetlight's glow. She seemed to smile, her eyes bright when she noticed Ted.
“I knew I'd find you here. I'm so glad to see you,” she said, her arms open though they blocked her face, Ted unable to tell if it was her. “It's been so long since ..”
Ted awoke in cold sweats.
“You need sleep,” Leonard said the next day. “Those bags under your eyes look like a quarterback's eye black.”
Ted gave a half smile. “I'm telling ya, she's trying to tell me something.”
“What?”
“I don't know. But each night the dream gets longer.”
“You're still not over her.”
Ted thought for a minute. “Guess not,” he said, managed a grin.
“You're obsessed with her.”
“It's more than that. I can feel it.”
“If you say so,” Leonard said. “Though I think you're reading too much into it. Besides, Marcia's in Colorado, long ways away. She's not comin' anytime soon.”
“I know,” Ted said. “Yet ..” He couldn't finish the sentence.
Again the dream that night: Marcia smiled, turned.
“I knew I'd find you here ... it's been so long since we saw each other. I'm so glad I made it back to Stillwater to tell you ..”
Ted's cold sweats returned. He panted, caught his breath and rubbed his eyes. An hour passed before he fell asleep.
Next night, same thing, except the last sentence extended to, “tell you how much ..”
“Damn!” Ted said, sotto voce. He gathered the bed sheets in his fists then loosened them. “C'mon,” he said to his apartment's walls. “Let me know.”
The next two nights were the same. Then he got a call.
“Hey.” It was Vern, a former dorm buddy. “Didja hear who's coming to town?”
“Santa Claus?”
“What a comedian,” Vern said. “Marcia.”
Ted gasped. “Who?”
“Marcia. Your woman.”
“Ex,” Ted said.
“I know. But you guys were so serious we thought it was down the aisle for you two. Why'd she dump you anyway?”
Ted flinched, grit his teeth. “We separated amicably. Both of us. It was mutual.”
“If ya say so. But she's comin' back. Tomorrow.”
Ted's mind sang 'Ode to Joy' but he gathered himself. “That is nice,” he said calmly. “If we cross paths I’d be glad to converse with her, communicate as much and ..”
“Why are ya talkin’ like you're one of the royal family?”
“I'm not,” Ted said. “But should I run into her, that's fine. We'll talk, exchange pleasantries and say adios.”
“Man,” Vern said. “If it'd been me with a girl for over a year and we met again, I'd be in bed with her in an hour.”
“That's why you don't have a girl,” Ted said. “Your heart is below your beltline.”
Both boys laughed.
“See ya,” Vern said. “And if you do see her, good luck.”
“Thanks. But we're just friends.”
“Uh-huh,” Vern said, dubious. “Bye.”
The dream was the same, only Marcia (or the girl Ted believed was Marcia) turned her head further.
“It's been so long since we saw each other. I'm so glad I made it back to Stillwater to tell you how much I ..”
Ted came to, gasped like a race horse.
“Calm down,” he said. “Means nothing. You're obsessed, that's all.”
But his mind and stomach felt otherwise. And he remembered something he hadn't seen in past sequences. She'd turned far enough this time, he saw it. Below her ear. The scar. From stitches when she said she fell off her bike at six.
It is her, he thought, raised his hands in triumph and imagined seeing her, how it would be, what they would say. I know she's telling me she missed me, wants to go back to school here and make up. That's the rest of her sentence. I know it. He beamed and relaxed on the bed, fell asleep in minutes.
The day arrived. Ted got up, went to Finance class. Just before going in, he saw a girl with blonde, shoulder length hair and blue eyes. He inhaled. Then exhaled. Not Marcia.
“Damn,” he whispered as the dream played in his mind.
After Finance, he went to Intermediate Accounting. He got up to leave and saw a girl. Blonde hair. Same size as her. He pressed his lips together. And sighed. Not her.
Next he went to Economics. Every girl with blonde hair near the shoulders caused Ted to turn. None were Marcia.
He and Leonard went out for dinner.
“Is that her?” Leonard said whenever a girl like Marcia came into view.
“Shut up,” Ted teased back.
They returned to Ted's place as darkness took over.
Leonard looked at the time as they watched t.v. on the old couch. “It's past midnight, day's over. I'm sure she's in bed now.” He chuckled. “Maybe with another guy. Guess your dream was just that. A dream. A wish. Fairy tale. Now move on with your life.”
“I know,” Ted said and though his stomach pinched and his heart seemed to be in the soles of his shoes, he smiled. “Never meant to be.”
“That's the spirit,” Leonard said, slapped Ted's thigh and stood. “Let's go have a drink. On me.”
Ted sighed. “I dunno.”
“Come on, drown your sorrows, put her behind ya. At least the dream won't happen anymore.”
“You're right,” Ted said, got up. The two visited an off campus pub, had some drinks, met friends and went to the strip, a street next to campus with the most popular bars and hang outs.
“Let's go,” Ted told Leonard after visiting several bars and the two went home.
“So dreams don't always come true,” Leonard said. “Don't worry, lots of other hens in the hen house.”
“I know,” Ted said. “It's just that ...”
A voice spoke. Familiar. Then the words.
“I knew I'd find you here. I'm so glad to see you.”
Ted recognized the voice. His skin goosepimpled. His heart seemed frozen. He stopped breathing. The voice continued.
“It's been so long since we saw each other. I'm so glad I made it back to Stillwater to tell you ..”
Ted turned. His face went white and his hands palsied. Then he smiled, looked at Leonard, also pale faced. Ted's grin grew. His heart felt as if on fire.
He looked at her to be sure though he knew who it was. It was her. Marcia, her blonde hair blowing in the Oklahoma breeze. The street light shone on her, she in profile. Her head turned, her lips went up and her eyes twinkled in the streetlight's glow. She continued to speak.
“.. tell you how much I care about ..”
Ted ran up to her, wrapped his arms around her. “I missed you too. It's so good to see you. Haven't stopped thinking about you since you left.” He pressed her to his body. Her jasmine-scented perfume relaxed and excited him, the best he'd ever smelled on a girl. He went to kiss her.
“What the hell are you doing?” the girl said.
Ted's lips met a hand. He pulled back and observed the woman. It was Marcia.
“Whadya mean? It's me, Ted.”
Marcia cringed. “Oh God, Ted. Get away from me.”
“But you just said how glad you were to make it back to Stillwater, see me, and ..”
Marcia pushed him away. “Not you.” She shuffled to the sidewalk where an older man stood and wrapped her arms around this guy. “Him,” she said and pressed her lips on his cheek. “My Uncle Louie.” She hugged him. “I was in town, tried to call but you weren't around. Shoulda figured you'd be out carousing.”
“Marcia!” the man said and returned the hug. “My favorite niece. What are you doing here?”
“Going back to school.” She separated from her uncle. “You were right, work is hard so I'm re-enrolling here. Wanted to thank you for your monetary support and advice. Mom said you're leaving tomorrow for Europe until next month on business so I had to find you. What a surprise that you'd be near a bar.”
“Well, it’s great you’re returning to school, honey. Glad you're back. You're making the right choice.”
Marcia leaned her head on her uncle's shoulder. “You've been so good. Just had to say thanks. See you when you get back.”
“You bet,” the uncle said then looked at Ted and Leonard. “Who're these two? They know you?”
“Oh them,” Marcia said and led her uncle quickly past them. “Bad memories from my past.” She looked over her shoulder, glared at Ted, and pointed. “Especially that one. He's very strange. You saw him attack me then claim I was his girlfriend. Only in his dreams.”
The uncle laughed and the two left.
Leonard punched a hand on Ted's shoulder and tittered. “Sometimes dreams come true. Just not the way you expect.” He burst into laughter and doubled over.
“Shut up.” Ted grinned and grabbed Leonard by the neck. “C'mon, knucklehead, let's go home.”
THE END
THE IDEA BEHIND THIS ONE—Hadn’t done many humorous stories and since Dream International Quarterly magazine (now defunct) had published several stories of mine, I thought something humorous about dreams would be a good story. So I came up with this one—a humorous (I hope) take on how dreams can easily be misinterpreted.