Dreaming in Digital

Sunday, February 2, 2020

0 comments Posted by Iolanthe Lore at 10:50 AM

I had a few dreams, but I only remember three.

In the first, I was visiting his family with Cookie. I knew something was wrong with my memory, and the more I fought it, the more it failed me. I tried to remember names to faces, but I couldn't do it properly. The last person I tried to identify was Blsckberry's and Cherry's mother, who appeared as a tall, leggy blonde woman. When she asked what her name was, I forced my mind to formulate her name. "Aunty Nancy," I said, immedately regretting and knowing it was wrong.

In the second, Blackberry and Raspberry were getting married. It was a garden wedding at night, and unfortunately was not illuminated enough, as the only lights around the fifty-to-a-hundred seated guests were the altar stage and the projected screen. The projection was short video clips from Blackberry's and Raspberry's life, but puzzlingly pieces of Blackberry's humourous clips on YouTube. Astonishingly, there were several Spiderman clips with very crude humour. When I looked at the altar, the couple no longer stood there, and I assumed they went somewhere private to do the ceremony. I turned to the Asian girl I had taken a seat beside and asked her a question.

The third dream was related to the wedding. As I stood from my seat, I was immediately pushed to sit back down. The man sitting behind me on my aisle seat spoke to me and the girl seated in front. This man was skinny, blond and grungy - he stood out from the sea of wedding attire. I didn't understand what the man said, but I knew if I didn't cooperate with his wishes, something terrible would happen. The woman in front of me stood up and took my arm. She had short red hair and looked very much like Scarlet Johanson. We walked briskly to the drug store nearby where she grabbed a few random things off the shelves and cradled them in her other arm.

Turning to me, she asked in an annoyed tone, "well? Aren't you going to take something?"

I spotted a bottle of nailpolish in bright purple. I squeezed it in my palm, debating whether I was suppose to pocket it and run, or pay for it. Following Scarlet to the register counter, she plopped her stash on the counter and I placed my bottle beside them.

We walked back to the garden, making a turn into an abandonned building and into a room. It was tiny with two dividers for toilets in the corner. I walked into one to find an oversized toilet and fresh urine dabbing the seat. The other's toilet was in the dark. Sitting on a love couch in the middle of this tiny room was a dirty blond man, ripped from his arms to his legs and a six pack of defined abs. He was deep into his thoughts, smoking a rolled joint.

The skinny man from earlier came in... And I can't remember the rest except Scarlet's face had been serious and focused the whole time.

Friday, January 3, 2020

0 comments Posted by Iolanthe Lore at 8:31 AM

One evening, I was in Toronto, wandering the PATH below numerous buildings that stretched towards the sky. Checking my wristwatch, it was almost nine, and I decided, since I was in the area, I should gather my courage and visit my old friends and workplace, as they are [in real life] closing their doors very soon. Self-conscious that I haven't showered before visiting, I pressed on, knowing time is limited and I will never see these people, that I loved, ever again.

I stumbled to the front entrance, where two of my old supervisors saw me. They were beautiful, and always have been. Grannysmith's hair had grown incredibly long, and she'd dyed streaks of red into it. The other had become leaner, and she stood taller, her red hair still shiny in the dim light. They came out to greet me in hugs. I've told them I came because I've heard they'd be gone soon.

One of the ladies that, when I worked there, worked mornings in the deli department was now a grocery clerk, closing this night. She was the mother one of a supervisor I use to have. Lifting a box, she asked if I could help, as the other two couldn't leave their post. I agreed, always happy to be of some use. Picking up box, I followed her to the other side of the store. The tiles weren't grey anymore, but cream with the same spotted pattern as on quail eggs. The store's brand colour of a vivid green was now a dark brown. Before entering a doorway to a room in the back, I noticed Honeycrisp in an aisle by bags of rice. I wiggled my fingers in a "hello" and he nodded in response. The walls in this small room were cream and dingy.

When we set the boxes down, I turned around to find Honeycrisp behind me. "Look," he said, lifting his shirt a little around his waist, revealing the skin of his belly.

"I have jellies too!" Without much thought, I pulled up my ugly, white t-shirt in comparison, then cringed, embarrassed at my muffin top.

"No, I meant the scar."

He pointed to a surgical scar about an inch long, a little ways below and left of his belly button. I stared with wide-eyed fascination [I love scars].

Saturday, December 28, 2019

0 comments Posted by Iolanthe Lore at 8:47 AM

In my first dream, I went to [Michaels Arts and Crafts], looking for something specific without luck. A bunch of framed prints were sold near the front, so I had a look. I asked a passing employee a question, but in response, she said and did something rude [I am not easily offended]. She was also on her cellphone as I spoke to her. We began yelling at each other in an argument until I demanded to see a manager.

A supervisor came along because this girl began crying and begging. The supervisor tried to contain the problem, but I was adamant at escalating. I told him I understand they were understaffed, but this brat's attitude was a problem. When I talked to her manager, I learned a little bit about the sobbing brat, and developed some compassion, trying to be nice. She was leaving work early because of this incident and was waiting for her ride home at some tables near the back of the store. I sat by her, noting she was going to the University of Waterloo. I asked her, "what program?" and told her I'm an alumni.

.-.-.-.

In my second dream, I met with Honeycrisp at a retail store Grannysmith worked. There were a rack of coats at the front, because it was cold outside. I removed the one I wore, and we both tried one on, ran out the door, and continued running until we were breathless. Grannysmith met us a couple of minutes later. She didn't have a coat on. I asked her to go back and wear my old one, as she wouldn't be flagged for stealing a coat they didn't sell.

We met at a sushi place with Grannysmith, one of our old coworkers (who switched from the deli department to the front end), and an old artist friend of mine from high school. The restaurant was packed. I slid into the booth beside Honeycrisp. As I looked at the menu, Grannysmith an our coworker ordered a plate of maki for the table. I missed it because I was focused on finding something I felt like eating. I noticed a server showing the owner a glass of ice near their ice dispenser. The ice tumbled out with a tinge of blue. I overheard the server saying the ice may be contaminated, but the people in the restaurant didn't care and still wanted ice.

I didn't want ice after that.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

0 comments Posted by Iolanthe Lore at 8:32 AM

I visited the store. Many things changed. My vegan supervisor became a police officer and she collected donations at the entrance. I apologized to her, for not saying goodbye when I had quit the store.

In my second dream, I took some friends around Toronto, spending most of my time with Shortbread and her sister. We took the PATH underground, which was, at this time of day, abandoned. It had a different appearance than usual.

We stopped at a chocolate shop. I wanted to treat my taste buds to something, but I couldn't decide. The sales lady asked what did I feel like having, and I said, "salty, but sweet." She gave me a 1" x 2" rectangle that may've been salted caramel, and after entering the cost, the chip'n'pin machine. Not entirely sure what screen I was on, I entered $100.00 when prompted for an amount. The lady replied, "no, no, no," and it ejected five $100 bills. The last bill was for 100 rupees, which I handed to her, as I didn't know what to do with it.

It was time for my friends to leave, so we surfaced the PATH at Dundas Square. Saying goodbyes, I watched my friends gather in a bus driven by an overweight woman.

Sunday, July 7, 2019

0 comments Posted by Iolanthe Lore at 4:37 PM

I had two dreams in my nap.

In the first dream, I went back to the store I worked, and I found Honeycrisp. He wrapped me in his arms, and I hugged him back. I couldn't let go -- I didn't want to.

The second dream was like a movie. I was a student as a young adult. It was a sunny day and I've gone to live in a studio with others. I had a crush on a Caucasian, blond guy, but he liked my brunette friend who was popular with the guys. He had a friend who was shorter, had dark hair and a tan. His friend would spend a lot of time with me. We lived in a multiplex with a large courtyard that had a projection unit and a white sheet to play movies on at night. We lived by the beach.

I heard from my friend, as well as my crush, that his dark haired friend had a crush on someone. They believed it was me. I was excited to hear that, because it sucked having a crush on a boy who likes your friend, and it sucks when you like both of the people involved. I was ready to forget my feelings for the blond and move on.

One morning, we were all at the beach. I was in a little shack built as shade with my crush. We laid on our stomachs, watching my friend under a giant, yellow umbrella in the sand. She was selling something she made. His dark-haired friend strutted towards her, and asked her something that was out of an earshot to us. He had a bouquet of flowers, wrapped in coloured paper and cellophane in hand. She pointed in the direction of two girls who approach them. Dark-haired got down on a knee and presented the flowers to her, saying something that excited the two girls. I felt my heart sink.

My crush gave me a sympathetic hug. "I'm sorry," he said. "I thought he liked you for sure."

Monday, July 1, 2019

0 comments Posted by Iolanthe Lore at 10:46 AM

I applied and got hired back at my old grocery retail job, but instead of a store, we were all inside an old house in the suburbs, and we were more students than clerks and cashiers.

There was a man in the garage. After introductions with him, I asked, "who runs the store now?" Knowing I meant, 'what's the hierarchy of power like?', he told me Shortbread and two others were (managers were just there for show). As I was talking to him, I felt someone's tall shadow creep up on me. Turning around, I was happy to see Honeycrisp. I squashed him in a long hug. Instead of his regular Swiss Army backpack, he had a messenger bag in black; it reminded me of a (fictional) day I rewrote his notes to a legible state.

After the hug, I took his hand and we went into the house, and to a cramped bathroom. I sat on the toilet seat cover and he laid his head on my lap. I folded my torso over and sandwiched him in a hug. We stayed like that for a little while, enjoying each other's... aura? Presence? I missed being around him.

Whether or not this was a school or a store, I kept my eye on my watch until it was time to get started. He got up and left, and I left a couple of minutes after to a classroom we both were required to attend.

Everyone in the class didn't care about rules, or what everyone else was doing. They just needed to show up. The professor put a movie on a screen hung on the wall, but no one paid attention. This was normal and expected. I walked in, past Honeycrisp, pretending I didn't know him. I sat alone in a corner. The prof asked, "what are you going to do, (name)?" in an accusatory tone. I shakily replied I was going to learn today.

Monday, June 10, 2019

0 comments Posted by Iolanthe Lore at 10:42 AM

There was a dream before, but I don't remember it well enough to record. My sister had signed up for a cultural event. She had also volunteered Cookie and I before we agreed to it. We were annoyed because she was bailing. This happened in my childhood apartment.

I was lying on my back, elevated from the grass below. The sun was out, but I was in the shade during summer. This small park was empty in the middle of the day. Honeycrisp found me, asking what I was doing. I sat up to answer, but I can't remember what I told him. He said he parked on the other side of the wall of trees to my left, even pointing in that direction. If I wanted a ride, I could come with him. I said I'd come in a bit. I looked at my backpack, on the floor, by my feet. Its contents were messily scattered around it.

;;

Dreaming in Digital

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