Chapter 1: Money?
January 5, 2007
Today I had my first dream. It was kind of surprising and unexpected. I don’t know if this happens to everyone but in order to understand my dream in perfection, we first have to talk about my experience from that day.
It was a normal day; it started in a boring way to be honest. Everything was just a routine. I woke up, pretty early, brushed my teeth, got ready and headed off to school. When I got there my schoolmates were talking about going to the movies that night, it was a Friday…Friday is hanging out day you know, plus I think I forgot to mention, it was my birthday. I noticed they didn’t know I had heard them so I just got there and said hi.
“Sup bro? Happy birthday!” Mike, my best friend, said.
“Not much just bored. And thank you.” I answered.
“It is your birthday! And how can you be bored already? It is only eight AM man. You need some happy pills.” He said while we walked away from the rest of the group. “Tell you what; we are going to the movies tonight, why don’t you come?”
“That sounds fun. I have to check though; I don’t think my parents will let me go.” I replied, with great deception but it was the truth none the less.
“Oh come on man, you guys got money, plus it is your birthday, they have to let you go out!” Mike said, trying to cheer me up and give me some hopes on the matter.
“It being my birthday doesn’t change a thing, you know them. And yes, we do have money, but not for this kind of things. Just for the things we truly need. ” I replied but those weren’t really words I meant with my heart, just words that my parents had repeated constantly over and over for as long as I can remember.
“Well you truly need to do some fun stuff or else you are going to end up killing yourself man.” Mike said laughing, but there was some truth behind his words, I could sense he really meant it. Before I could talk again, the bell rang, so we went to class.
I was distracted on every class. All I could think about were the movies. I really wanted to go. So when it was time to leave school, I quickly rushed back to my house. When I got there my mother was preparing the table for dinner. I was ready to ask for her permission and I went right for it.
“Mom, Mike and some girls are going to the movies tonight. Could I go?” I asked in a really shy kind of way.
“You have the money for it?” My mom asked. I was afraid she was going to say that.
“No, I don’t. All I have is the money I have been saving for college.” I replied.
“Exactly. So there is your answer.” My mom said.
“Can’t you just lend me some money? It is not that much.” I asked.
“No. I am sorry son. We really need the money for…” My mom was saying but I knew the rest so I continued her phrase even though she hated it when I did that.
“…the things that really matter. I know I know. This is not fair. I haven’t had fun once in my whole life!” I said. I was starting to lose my temper.
“No? How about the rest of your birthdays?” My mom said.
“Not even those have been fun! My whole life has been boring. I don’t even dream! Can you believe that?! I haven’t dreamt once in my whole freaking life!!” I yelled at my mother while I was running towards my room. I shut the door close.
I laid down on my bed. A river was simply flowing out of my eyes. I was hurt, I was depressed; I was suffering. I didn’t know what to do. I just wanted things to change. I wanted something to enlighten my life. I needed something different, something that would tell me “everything is going to be alright, Robert”. I was in despair! And before I knew it, God knows how, I fell asleep. Not only did I fell asleep, but I was dreaming.
It was all kind of blurry at first. When I looked around me I noticed that I was still in my room. It was in the morning, so I thought at first that I had just slept the whole night. Yet, things were still blurry and weird, so I started to get a little bit suspicious. I just went with it. I brushed my teeth and when I went to change clothes I automatically chose the school uniform. It felt like a Friday for some reason. It is now, as I write this that I notice that if I had woken up from a night sleep, it would have been Saturday and not Friday, therefore I wouldn’t have taken the school uniform.
Anyway, getting back to the dream, on top of my school uniform was a card that read “Happy Birthday From Mom and Dad” and inside it was a letter, that I won’t write here about, but I will say this: it didn’t sound like my parents at all. They were nice; I even thought it was a joke. But again, I went along with it.
Either way, after that I just went to school. When I got there the school looked different for some reason, but I didn’t pay much attention to it. I just went directly towards my friend Mike, and there he was talking to a bunch of people about going to the movies that night. I said hi.“Hey there, Robert.” They all said; which I actually found amusing because they never notice me, much less know my name. Again, I didn’t pay much attention to it. I took Mike apart from the group.
“How you doing?” I asked him.
“I am good. Happy B-Day bro! And why are we talking over here?” Mike asked.
“I don’t know I feel weird talking in front of all those people I barely know.” I said.
“You barely know? We know everyone here man…what is wrong with you?” Mike said. This was something that surprised me because we really didn’t know many people at school. Once again, I didn’t pay attention to it. Not good with paying attention thus far eh? I know.
“I am good. So, what are you doing tonight?” I asked to see if he would bring the movies topic up.
“We are all going to the movies remember?” Mike said.
“Right. I have to check about that, I don’t think I will have the money for it.” I said but Mike made a really funny face. He was extremely surprised.
“Money? What the heck is that? Some new alien word or something?” Mike said.
“I am serious man.” I replied not understanding what he was talking about or why he was mocking me, that is…if he was mocking me.
“I am too. What the heck is wrong with you? First you claim you don’t know anyone, now you are talking about ‘Muney’”. Mike said.
“Money.” I said.
“Whatever. Potatoe, Potata.” Mike replied.
“You don’t know what money is?” I asked.
“Hmmm. I would say no.” Mike said confused as the group approached the conversation.
“What you guys talking about? And happy birthday buddy!” A girl said and she kissed me on the cheek.
“Well Mr. Robert here is talking about some money thing…and that he doesn’t recognize you all.” Mike told her.
“You don’t remember us? And what the heck is that money thing?” She asked.
“No, for some reason I get the feeling your name is Lisa.” I said and she smiled. “So I guess it is Lisa then. But I don’t know. It is all kind of confusing. What…do….what do you guys use to go to the movies?” I asked.
“Our legs.” Mike replied and the whole group laughed. I gave a fake laugh trying to follow the little joke, but I really didn’t get it.
“I mean, how do you enter it? How do you pay?” I asked.
“Pay? What are you talking about?” Lisa asked but right there the bell rang. We had to go to our classes.
For some reason the dream jumped the whole classes thing, would I love it for it to be like that in real life, man are they boring! Anyway, I was walking down the stairs, getting out of school, and they were all waiting for me out there. Lisa, Mike and some other people that I seemed to know but wasn’t really sure why or how.
“Ready to go?” Mike asked.
“I have to go home first.” I said.
“What for?” Mike asked.
“To get some money and to ask for permission.” I said.
“The money thing again? I mean, really? And permission? We have been planning this for over a week now man, your parents know alre
ady.” Mike said.
“But…” I said.
“Come on, we are going to be late.” Lisa said before I could say anything else.
So I decided to go along with it. I wasn’t really paying attention to anything around me; I was too confused of what was going on to really pay any attention at anything really. Not even at Lisa, and now that I remember she was a really pretty girl. Anyway, we got to the movies, which looked pretty awesome from the outside if you ask me, and when I say awesome I mean futuristic looking for some reason and just...clean. We entered the movie theater without paying for our tickets first or anything.
“Aren’t we supposed to get like tickets or something?” I asked, confused.
“Dude what is wrong with you?” Mike asked. “Just…just follow us okay?”
“Alright then…” I said.
“Hey Steven, is it full yet?” Mike asked a guy that was standing in front of a red door. Apparently it was the door that leads the way into the theater section we wanted to go in.
“Yeah right! Come in. You crack me up Mike.” Steven answered while laughing. While I was going by him he said, “hey happy birthday buddy! How has it been so far?”
“Confusing…” I said. Steven just smiled.
“Just enjoy the movie.” He said with a wink. I don’t know why he wasn’t surprised when I said it was confusing. We went in and the dream jumped this part as well. Next thing I remember I was entering my house, which seemed different somehow but I couldn’t place what was actually different. My mom and my dad greeted me.
“Happy birthday baby boy!” Mom said.“Happy birthday son!” Dad said.
“Thank you guys.” I replied.
“How was the movie?” Mom asked.
“Fun.” I answered, without really remembering if it was fun…boring…or neither.
“So you want to get some cake or…” Mom said and then I woke up.
My first dream was definitely a weird experience. I couldn’t place many of the things that I was seeing. How come we didn’t have to pay for the movies? How come my mom and dad were so happy to see me and congratulate me? I don’t know, but I definitely felt happy for the first time in eighteen years. All I do know is…I can’t wait until I dream again.