Another strange dream. I was somewhere that provided a sense of familiarity without the sense of comfort. I was younger than I am now – probably my forties. I was suited up. I knew I was there to defend my mother in a deposition. I wasn’t sure why she was being deposed. But I realized someone was out to get her. So, as much as I hate being a lawyer, I knew that she would be depending on my prince of darkness litigation skill set. So I was getting into character of wanting to destroy anyone who came for her.
It was one of those video depositions, and so a tech team arrived to set up. They were three geeky young men. Had The Lone Gunmen on the X Files feel to them. Similar kind of banter as they went about their business.
I overheard them talking about the technical set up, but did not learn any specifics of the case. That was okay, I didn’t need to know any details to be a nightmare asshole to the opposition. Over four decades, it becomes rote mental muscle memory.
Then my mother appeared with a tray of sweets and tea for the tech team. She didn’t even speak with me, just made sure they all had what they wanted and then withdrew into the labyrinth of whatever building we were located in. I felt invisible. I couldn’t get her attention.
The techies didn’t seem to notice me either.
Well then the techies got to talking about how sweet my mother was and that they would refuse to be involved in any attempt to depose her. So they packed up and left. That would have been enough to terminate the deposition in the real world. Bandit woke me up a moment later.
I don’t have a lot of photos of my mom left on my iPhone, but here are a couple of her towards the end of her run on this energy plane.
Below, in her kitchen on Mosholu Avenue. Five generations of my family sat at that table. Tough old bird. Towards the end, she like to sleep walk wander the Riverdale streets at night, pushing her grocery cart – and I’d follow along a short distance behind her just to make sure she didn’t get killed. She usually made it back home without intervention. Didn’t do it out of any sense of duty. I’m just not that nice. Lisa would hear the squeaky wheels going out the driveway and force me out of my sound sleep and warm bed to chase after her.
Yeah, I know. I got the Burke genes, as well as their Fae.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get her hairline, or I would be rocking a Richard Branson look right now.
Now, Mom rarely makes those kinds of spectral appearances. So, I know there is some nugget of a message in that dream. Overcome adversity with kindness sort of thing.
And of course my mother – who is the Fae blood line of the Family – would have handled any adversity with kindness. That’s how she rolled.
Mom bringing out the sweets and tea was how she handled visitors whenever my various troupes of friends would stumble into my home for an impromptu visit.
In fact, my inebriated friends often crashed in the attic dorm after a night of partying, before that traveling circus moved the big tent to Aunt Violet’s Flop House, and my mother would walk among the snoring bodies, often spilled across the floors of the bedrooms, like a homicide crime scene, and pick up their clothing and then take it all down stairs, wash, dry, fold and return them. Mind you, her blood line never got that kind of service, but the guests in our home always were treated well, no matter how inconvenient.
Maybe the dream was suggesting that I should remain positive in the face of adversity.
Let’s hope I don’t have to test that theory. At my age, I only like viewing adversity in the rear view mirror.
Well, today’s another hump day. So, let’s get our skates on. Only this time, when we reach the apex, the Friday we will spot will be wrapping up our August – and psychologically – our summer.
Now, I’m a big fan of the fall. My favorite holiday – Samhain – arrives with all of its fun, spooky and mystical accessories. So, summer’s end isn’t a major trigger for me.
However, it does give me one more chance to repeat to my fine, five readers that they should make an effort to remind their Amazon Prime Member friends that they should take advantage of the 8/30 expiration of the free download of The Wise Ass, even if they aren’t going to read it right away. Those numbers will still count in my favor. Trust me, it doesn’t make me any richer but it may draw the attention from those that can.
And, no matter what else we get up to, as my mother would tell me every time I walked out the door of my family home – “Keep Smiling!” – and let us make today a great one.
