Infected by Elections

  

The “candidate” Jeffrey Larris, my friend, Mindy Duitz Larris, their daughter, Siena Duitz Larris.

Every night, as I sleep, I can count on being entertained/terrorized by whatever has run across my consciousness that previous day or days. Last night’s dream starred none other than my good friend, Jeffrey Larris, who was poised in the dream to run for some office. For those of you who know Jeffrey, politics would probably be the last occupation for which he’d be selected or elected. We love him dearly, but he is a candid person. Enough said.

No doubt, this wacky dream which has me living in a converted school building, has been inspired by the recent announcement that my real-life son-in-law, Mike, is running for City Council. Back to the converted school building. Part of it remains a school with classrooms intact. The other half is apartments, one of which is where I am living with my small child – no resemblance to any of my children. Another apartment is where Mindy, my friend and Jeffrey’s wife, live with their small child, no resemblance to their real child, Siena.

When I learn that Jeffrey is about to announce his candidacy, I begin to try to track him down to let him know that his candidacy has been leaked by the press. (By the way, Jeffrey will be happy to learn that in the dream, he is 47 years old, just a bit older than my son-in-law – you see how the brain just folds ingredients together and comes up with the strangest cake).

I find him running through the streets and the building, trying to escape – something. I’m not sure that he can hear me calling him. I go to Mindy’s apartment and she is upset and wondering where Jeffrey is. She asks if I will look in on her child while she goes to look for him. At some point, she intimates that “things are wrong,” but that she can’t tell me more. “Sorry for the firewall,” she says.

At some point in my strange pursuit of Jeffrey (and Mindy), I am running around unclothed. That’s often the case in my dreams. Lord, what does that mean? I find Mindy and we pledge to help each other.

I begin to meet Jeffrey’s campaign workers. I offer my help. I ask Jeffrey when he plans to do his first press release – pen in hand, I offer to write it for him. He tells me that he has someone to take care of that. He is constantly pursued by his workers and press and I am frustrated at not being able to be more helpful.

The dream ends. I think I have to stop sleeping with my chargers, phone and computer next to my bed.

 1/3/21