Dream Chronicle No. 1
post 19
When I first wrote this post, I misspelled “Chronicle.” As a result, the URL to this post contains the misspelled word - spookhandy.substack.com/p/dream-chronical-no-1
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Dreams can be incredible. Or they can be credible. If I were to list the most important events of my life, I’d bet about half of them happened in dreams. For instance, …
I met Jennifer in a dream.
It was a Wednesday morning. In the dream, she was waiting for me. I made a note that she was tall, and had the posture of a dancer, shoulder-length hair, and sparkling eyes.
Knowing a little about how my dreams work, I knew I would meet her somewhere in this physical world on the third day after the dream. So on Friday, I walked all over town NOT looking for her. I didn’t try to find her. Instead, I immersed myself in harmony with my surroundings. I knew not to impose my will on circumstances, but rather to maintain a heightened awareness of details that I might otherwise miss. If we were destined to meet, the Universe would set up the circumstances to make that happen.
I walked downtown, got a slice of pizza, and made a bank deposit. I spent an hour yapping with folks at the George Street (natural food) Co-op. I spent another hour thumbing through LPs at Cheap Thrills record store.
Next, so immersed in the day that I forgot my “mission,” I lumbered up Church Street. I was almost in front of the fabled Court Tavern, when I ran into a friend. I had just started taking an acting class at Rutgers and found myself running into acting majors or MFAs everywhere I turned. This time I ran into Kera, who was not an actor, but who I met because she was friends with actors. (The acting connection comes up again in this story.) So, I stopped to say hello.
A Rendezvous with Destiny
As we talked, I casually noted that Kera was with a friend. A haunting feeling reminded me that I was to pay extra attention to details that day. So, I noted that it was warm for January. The sun felt good. Keira’s friend was tall. She had the posture of a dancer. Wait! She also had shoulder-length hair.
I gazed up into her eyes and they were as sparkly as a sparkler can sparkle. There she was! At least, so I thought. I asked her name. She said “Jennifer.” I told myself, “DO NOT FORGET THAT NAME!”
An Exercise of Free Will
Then a curious thought crossed my mind. “Spook, do you really want to do this?” Destiny had led us to meet each other. But I still had free will. The next move was mine. What was the best decision? I decided the wise thing to do was to “pass” and let destiny take the next turn. If we were destined to do more than casually meet, our paths would cross again.
Jennifer and I didn’t talk. The conversation with Kera ended and we parted ways. I went home confident I had met, here in this physical world, the woman I had met three mornings earlier in my dreams.
But, Oh, No!
That night, Dudley came over. I haven’t told you about Dudley yet, except that he was a Wisdom Catcher. Dudley was very excited. He had met a “witchy woman” earlier that day. He was bold enough to ask her phone number. But his phone was disconnected because he hadn’t paid the bill. So, came over to use mine.
Dudley spoke with this “witchy woman” for half an hour. Then he came downstairs beaming. I mean, his already bright lights shone so brilliantly they could light a dark room. You could hear his heart pounding. He was in love. He had met the same woman I had met, Jennifer, only a few minutes before I did and only a few blocks away.
When I tell you more about Dudley, I’ll explain why there is a reasonable likelihood we were co-joined twins in a past life. But for now, suffice it to say that for years before and after this day, Dudley was present in one way or another at a lot of the important events of my life. Sometimes he was an ambassador for me, and at other times he was a competitor.
“Studley!”
That’s what the gals called him. Smart, charming, bold, kind of dangerous, very generous. The women said he smelled nice. Me, I was just a guy with a guitar and a vision. I had nothing on Dudley. But, this time I was NOT going to let Dudley win Jennifer’s affections and leave me in the cold! The odds were in his favor. But I met her first - in my dreams.
A Simple Solution
I knew the perfect tool for the job. Detachment. That doesn’t mean not caring. That means trusting the Universe to align things in a way that is best for everybody involved. IF, the universe put us in each other’s paths a second time, then I would take the next step.
Sure enough, Monday rolled around and I attended my acting class in the basement of Jameson Dormitory of Douglass College. After class, Matt Boston (the teacher) and I walked out of the building together and turned left toward the library. Had I not been going to the library, I would have turned right and headed home. But, I needed to research and write a paper on John Gielgud for my acting class.
Destiny Strikes Again
Just as we exited the basement, who else but Jennifer walked out the front door! Our paths intersected with perfect timing. Not one of us sped up or slowed down. Yet, we ended up side by side. Matt said, “Hi, Jennifer.” Jennifer said, “Hi, Matt.” I said, “Hullo!”
Jennifer was walking to the library, too! Yes!!! When we got there, she met some guy. Oh, no! Was that her boyfriend? I went in the other direction to collect myself. I looked out the window and saw Dudley walking by. I thought he might come in and steal the woman of my dreams. But I said, “No! Na ah! Not this time!”
Summoning Courage
Summoning up every drop of my courage, I walked over to Jennifer. She was sitting with that guy. Now you could hear MY heart pounding from across the room. But not because I was in love – not yet. It was because I was scared about what I was about to do.
Right there and right then, right in front of this guy I thought might be her boyfriend, with as much authority and confidence as I could muster, I asked, “Can I invite you to the Demarest Cabaret this Friday?”
Jennifer said, “I’d love to go …” (YES!!! That guy must NOT be her beau) … “But I am going home this weekend.” (Oh no! She has a dude back home.) … “Maybe next time?” she asked. (YES!!! She does NOT have a guy back home!)
Well, to make a long story short, two weeks later, we went to the Mine Street Coffehouse Open Mic. And the rest is history.
35th Anniversary
Jennifer and I met in a dream on January 25, and we met in person on January 27, 1989. We both consider January 27 to be our anniversary. So, this week is our 35th anniversary.
On our 25th anniversary, I woke up planning to surprise Jennifer with a gift. But the phone rang and I received a call that altered the trajectory of my life. I’ll tell you about January 27, 2014 next time. Until then, …
Keep the Flame Alive!
What an awesome story!!! And happy 35 years!! ❤️❤️❤️