h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I dreamed that a violent rainstorm came to my area. The river started overflowing its banks. Soon Dedham square was under water, and I was worried that library (which is just a block away) would be inundated, too. I checked with the people on the second and third floors of the building, asking if they would let me take refuge there if the water started rising into the first floor.

SAuddenly I realized, with alarm, that I had important papers and valuables stored at a bank in the square. I rushed down to the bank, asking to see my stuff, and they assured me that they had copies of it in a safe place, but when I pressed them to let me actually see it, they had to admit that my valuables were in an underground area, which was flooded.

By now, water was lapping at the end of the street where the library was. I wondered if Jake Gyllenhaal, who was in town to film a movie, was going to be safe (I had seen him ride his bicycle earlier that day, and he had smiled when he saw me.

It was time to stop worrying, though. The rain stopped, the sun came out, and the water began draining away. The flood had never come into the library, though it was a couple inches deep on the back lawn.

But the Queen didn't show up?

As a fan of your oneiric oeuvre, I am appalled at the lack of mention of Her Majesty.

Well, jake met Tony Blair when he was in London a few years ago. Is that close enough?

Absolutely. That's two degrees of separation.

how are your valuables now?

They're fine, Pierce.

The family jewels came through unscathed, as well.

good for you

and your family

Last night, I was on some kind of tour, in some country that was full of quaint little villages preserved in their period historical charm for eternity. It was time for us to get on the bus to go to our next quaint historical village, but I was not even remotely packed yet, and hadn't had my coffee yet. Nevertheless, I stuffed everything into a suitcase, and hoped it would not be in bad shape wqhen I unpacked it again.

how would you go by to - say - an ancient roman village

In a dream, anything is possible--even flying.

I don't think these charming old villages were supposed to be anywhere near Rome. The might have been going to the airport.
Or not. I woke up too soon to find out.

so even in amish villages people would be able to fly around in ses?

your dreams never seize to amaze me

I blame them on the snacks I have just before bedtime .
Can you imagine what my dreams would be like if I smoked funny mushrooms?

that is easy to answer: no!

Well, if you smoked the funny mushrooms, I think you would ahve a very good idea.

considering your 'normal' dreams i'm sure i don't have the imagination required no matter what i smoked

I have randomly wandered into your dreamscape, Paul H, and I do hope you'll forgive the intrusion, but it occurs to me that these two dreams signify your dread of mortality and worries about what legacy you'll leave behind. (i.e. you're "not ready to go" and you fear your bequest, indeed even the very proof of your existence, will be "washed away")

If it's any comfort, a complete stranger in another land now knows of your existence. Thus, in some small way, you have successfully propagated across oceans, much the same as our common ancestors left Africa to spread across the world. Can death ever truly erase such farreaching influence?

we are like snowflakes landing on the surface of the oceans.
every one of us is unique.
every one of us will vanish.

but we will live on in the memory of our loved ones