3 dreambits

1. In my aunt's kitchen (who passed away in 1992; I haven't set foot in her house since then, even though I still have a cousin who lives there.) My father is standing over the stove, which is an odd place for him to be; my mom is seated at the table, I think, and there's someone else, either my aunt or my cousin, in the doorway to the living room, behind me. Everyone is chatting normally, I couldn't say about what. I want to go out into the backyard. I open the inner door (or is it already open?) I look up; in the top right corner, two spiders in a web: one large, pale one, completely immobile, and another, smaller, moving across its back. Whether the larger one is trapped by the smaller one or whether it is the smaller one's mother is unclear. I scream through the small talk, "...but FUCK, doesn't anyone realize how FUCKING scared I am?" People turn to look at me. (My father was certainly not fond of swearing in general, and me swearing in particular. This situation, in real life, would have required all my cojones.)
   
   
2. Peewee, Pat and I are watching a movie in a house I don't know. There's a lesbian sex scene in it (not that it is relevant to anything.) I say something, Peewee mishears me, takes great offence, and storms out. Later, we're elsewhere in the house, and there's a bunch of people lounging around, like the morning after a party. As I'm telling the story of my falling out with Peewee to Kris, Peewee walks in and repeats what he heard me say. I correct him, which completely defuses the situation; he gives me a long, long hug, and resists when I start to feel awkward and pull away.
   
   
3. I'm in a large, open park, where tons of people are picnicking. Suddenly, there's a ruckus. Someone screams that there's a vicious dog attacking people. I spot him quickly - a large Dane-type, solid blue (not blue blue, blue the dog color - gray for the rest of the world.) I go towards him, and try to wrap my hands around his muzzle, to control him until help arrives. I get the definite feeling that he's humoring me, and that he's letting me hold him; I would stand no chance if he wanted to get loose and attack me. Someone shoots two arrows through his chest. I scream for someone to finish him off. I release him and stumble over him, falling onto my hands and knees. Behind me, I hear the "thwack" of the third arrow into his skull. I begin to bawl, a loud wail that resonates from deep down in my belly.

(460)