Long Road Dream

        I dreamed a whole couple of days worth of travel and driving around, in a couple of different cars. The level of detail is such that I am looking forward to work today being an opportunity to relax some.

        The dream started with N and I looking at Cecil, returned to us without his engine, and his paint and body much worse for wear. The front yard had been turned into a three car parking lot, still hedged in by the juniper bushes, but much thinner layer of them. Little Red was parked next to Cecil, and she wasn’t looking much better.

        N and I took Cecil up to the gas station, a good trick when you don’t have an engine. I guess it’s ok that the gas just pumped out of the top of the (old fashioned round top) gas pump and not into the car. I was upset, not only at the waste of money but of fuel.

        Someone came up behind us and demanded we move away from the pump, we’d been there long enough. I tried to explain that I hadn’t paid yet, but they insisted. We moved up to the next pump where I filled up a furry brown dog whose gas cap was a fur covered plug right between his shoulder blades. The dog gave a shaggy yelp of thanks and trotted off. “I should be disturbed by that, but I’m not.” I said to no one in particular. I filled up our motorcycle, paid my twelve bucks or so, and we towed Cecil home. (That’s one heck of a motorcycle.) N rode in Cecil to help steer. I would have helped pay for the car that took our spot at the pumps, but the combination of they being so unpleasant, and me being too slow made that impossible. I wondered that they even paid attention to the total cost.

        We popped into little red and drove up to Long Beach for dinner with S and M. They wanted to know about what R was doing these days, and I thought it odd that they didn’t have a better idea than I did. “We put gas in her dog this morning.” I don’t remember R being around during the dog incident, but I believed that I was telling the truth.

        It was dark when we drove home and I was tired. So tired that I missed my exit and we ended up in Poway. We decided to stop at my parent’s house to grab a nap before trying to get home.

        The road was blocked off at the bottom of their hill. I went around the long way. I was stunned to see that all of the houses from Tobiasson down to Pomerado were now three story tall mansions. There was a small shopping plaza in the cul-de-sac at the bottom of the hill. I parked at my parents and N went inside to take a nap. I walked down to check out the changes in the old neighborhood.

        The houses were immense, lots of heavy greenery in front of each of them, balconies and patios around the second and third floors. I had no idea what they had a view of, other than the road and the neighbors across the street, but they were beautiful houses.

        At the bottom of the hill I walked into a blanket store. While I was wondering how a store that just sold blankets could possible survive I spotted a green felt that would be a perfect color for N. I went over to check it out. I also saw a great fleece in green and white plaid.

        “That would make a great liner for the green felt blanket.”

        “Yes, it would,” I agreed with the sales lady. I asked about the stitching they used to put them together.

        “There’s a Lifetime guarantee on the stitching and the blanket materials.”

        “Wow! How is that possible?”

        “The blanket maker is sixty five, so we figure about 30 more years of her life.”

        “Ah, I see, lifetime of the maker. Don’t you think she’ll stop being able to fix the blankets at some time before then?”

        “Well, we grandkids will keep going as long as she does.”

        “OK. Not longer, though?”

        “No, we’re doing this for her, she pays us to keep the store open, and we live up above, so it’s a good deal.”

        Before I knew it I was being measured for a blanket. I tried to explain that it was for my wife. They assured me that they knew what they were doing. I asked if I could get one for me in scarlet and gold, with the fall leaf quilting. They measured around my head, saying I wasn’t as big as they thought. I wanted to tell them my head wasn’t the big part of me, it was my belly. “I’m shaped like Santa Clause,” is what came out. They chuckled.

        They started putting things together and soon there were two blankets being made. I wanted to stop them, as there were no prices anywhere in the store and I know from experience that if you have to ask, then you can’t afford it. N’s blanket was finished first. The green plaid effectively disguised the quilting, but when you turned it over you could see the silver leaves plainly against the dark green felt. It was gorgeous. I resolved to pay whatever it was they were charging for the blankets, knowing that N would love them.

        I am not surprised that I woke up freezing, with a cat draped over my head. (No wonder I dreamed they were measuring my head and perhaps Little John was the idea for the red and gold blanket for myself.)

Ad astra per technica,

FF