"We're so glad you were still able to make it."

Begin Dream

I was sitting at a table playing poker. There were only two other players left in the game. I was dealt a pair of Jacks in the hole. There was a round of betting but everyone seemed a little apprehensive to go all out before the flop. As the three cards were revealed I nearly jumped out of my seat but managed to keep my cool. It had come up A-J-J. First postion went all in with a small stack of chips. Quickly raised by the next in line with yet again another all in. I sat looking at my cards, knowing I had them both covered. I looked at the other players nondescript faces and slowly pushed my chips into the pot. The second caller burst out, "HA! You're done for!" As he hastily turned over a pair of aces. The first caller than threw his cards in the muck, but not before showing the last ace, knowing that all was lost. I chuckled to myself and politely asked, "Would you like me to turn them over or would you like to do the honors?" Without saying a word he reached across the table and one at a time turned over my pair of Jacks. He was furious. I grabbed the cash and left quickly.

Found myself on the street outside Seattle Central Community College. There were people everywhere. I'd never seen so many people in my life. Imagine Grand Central Station in NYC and multiply it by a factor of ten. I kept looking behind me, half expecting to see the men from the poker table following me with the intent to mug me. I weaved in and out of people as if performing the illusive snake dance. I was caught off guard when KelDel tripped me with a shopping bag. I smiled as she apologized and tried to help me up, but I dismissed her aid and began running through the masses of people. I reached the south edge of the college and there were large concert stairs and mammoth pillars that were worthy of the Parthenon.

As I broke out of the campus the setting changed drastically. The streets were all dimly lit, strange as it just seemed to be mid day, and there were questionable characters scattered about in groups. I was searching for a Mexican restaurant that I had a reservation at that I wasn't about to miss. Every street seemed to be lined with small restaurants all decorated with pinatas and corona flags. I stopped to look around, made a circle in the middle of the street and was bludgened from behind with a large metal pipe. I touched the back of my head and realized that I was bleeding. I turned around to find Mr Quick holding the assault weapon. His face turned red when he realized who I was, "I'm SO sorry! We've had a problem with hate crimes in this area and I thought you were one of the perpetrators." I shook my head and replied, "Well I'd say that you are the guilty party here." He then took a med kit from his satchel and bandaged my wound before giving me the exact address of the restaurant. I wasn't far at all.

I reached the painted doorway and descended the stairs. It was barely lit with candles, the style of which you'd find in a catholic church. A woman met me at the bottom of the stairs, "We're so glad you were still able to make it. I heard you've had a hell of a time trying to get here." I had no idea how she would have heard about my travels, but decided it best not to say anything. She led me to a small table near the kitchen and placed a margarita in front of me. I asked politely for a menu and she replied, "Your meal has already been decided." I gave her a puzzled look but was please enough to have a drink in front of me that I accepted it all for what it was. Only a few moments passed before she brought a large plate of food out. The plate was so hot that the clay was still glowing slightly. There was everything that you could ever want in a Mexican restaurant all on one platter. I just gazed at the immense amount of food while finishing my drink. Before I could even set the glass down she had brought me another one. I picked up my fork and decided to start with a corner that appeared to be some variation of bean and cheese. It was delicious. Each bite was ecstasy. I plunged my fork in time and time again until once when I did so a large chunk of mozzarella, warm enough to be gooey but not hot enough to burn, leap from up onto my face. I took my napkin and began to clean the cheese from my face but it just stretched and spread the more I tried till it was covering my whole head.

End Dream