Finding My Way Through
A chef friend of mine was running back and forth trying to do the job of 20 when a couple of her cooks didn’t show up. So at the last minute I stepped up and volunteered to cook for her party. We were in a house then. The problem was that I wasn’t sure what to cook. There was no set menu. All my typical dishes came to mind. But then my ideas grew bigger, more elaborate. I’d forgotten even to look at what ingredients I had to work with.
The back-of-house/kitchen area – we were now in a large restaurant – was huge. I passed the chef while on a lettuce mission. The lettuce, a long stream of it resembling an octopus, jumped up behind me and hugged its green, leafy tentacles around my waist. It was sweet, but it was also lettuce. I pulled it off. I thought it had to be possessed. Lettuce doesn’t hug. I reached my hands out in that way that magicians do when attempting to control something. Up went the bowl of slaw over to the other stainless steel worktable. Either the vegetables really were possessed or I had acquired some superpower.
I was in Seattle, supposedly, but it was much bigger and busier. There were two paths in/out of the parking garage. I chose the wrong one, but swiftly reversed my direction when a car came swinging around the bend toward me.
I walked through a sort of eclectic and very colorful bazaar/market, still looking for an exit. There were so many dusty, antique pieces blocking the doors (gee, I wonder how those fit into my dream). I smiled and said hello to one of the vendors. I’m not sure if he noticed or not, but once I finally found the door, I walked out with a shiny pair of gold slippers in my hand. I’d realized in that moment that I was stealing them, but I did it anyway, curious to see if I would get away with it. I walked out to many buildings and alleys squished together in front of me. It wasn’t easy trying to find the way through to my destination.
We were at a gathering in the garden. He held me in his arms. He was so tall and grounding. Home safe.
Anne-Julia Price 