November 17, 1996 Sunday
Bare with me here as I relate this story through the experiences of a first grader. For some reason I have always remembered this experience quite vividly, while others visions have fallen away:
Superman, Batman, Aquaman and Wonder Woman were standing together, with hands on hips, by the newspaper stand on the corner of Elmwood’s Central Park. From the light of day I would guess it was early afternoon. Suddenly without a goodbye they all flew up into the sky and disappeared.
We’re off the clock, kid.
The departing heroes couldn’t have come at a worse time. Over the tops of the two-story brick stores from the other side of the street from the park–that houses the cafe, pharmacy, and Fair Store–arose the top half of a large monster. Over the years I have slowly forgotten what this creature looked like. Maybe it was a dragon, or a monster with fur and horns. I really don’t know.
Sure, why not.
In response the crowd around me starting running in every possible direction. I myself cut across Magnolia, going west along and then around the row of brick stores the monster had been behind, hoping it wouldn’t notice me. When I arrived at the back of the stores the monster stepped over the building to then go crashing through the leafy green park after a few unfortunate souls. I took this opportunity to return the way I came, back around to Magnolia. Then I continued to run along the street, but suddenly I found the monster had returned. I looked up, and he was staring down, right at me. I took off, spiriting this time down Main Street, going west and out of town.
The last thing I vaguely remember was nearing the nearing the outskirts of town, and I looked back. I saw people also jogging down Main with the beast high above and close behind.
I have never really had nightmares, but have experienced similar dreams like this several times. In these dreams the faster I run the slower I go, until I’m frozen, and I know it is about to catch me from behind.
Not my favorite thing in the world,
