Dreams

So, last night -- or rather, this morning right before William came in and woke me up, I had a pip of a dream.  I usually don't remember my dreams, but this one stuck with me.  And since I woke up and told it to William, I remember it still.  (Isn't it weird the way we forget dreams most of the time, just the instant we open our eyes and take in the real world?) 

Anyway, here it is:

The field between our church and the rectory had been plowed and there were big piles of dirt and deep creases in the ground.  My friend, Mary H., from our Denver parish, was visiting and I was showing her around the property.   She was a few steps ahead of me, picking her way through the dirt piles to go see the beautiful grotto at the edge of our church property and I was walking a few steps behind her when a skunk appeared from behind a hill just behind Mary.  I went, "Psst!  Psst! Mary!  Mary!"  in as loud a whisper as I could manage. 

"Slowly, quietly walk toward the rectory," I said  "There's a skunk behind you!" 

I don't know whether she actually heard me or not, though, because as soon as the words escaped my lips,  the skunk turned around and started walking toward me!  I literally spun on my heels in panic (doing exactly what I didn't want Mary to do) and started to run away from the skunk.  But the next thing I knew, I was lying on my face in the dirt.  AGH!  I didn't know where the skunk was and I was afraid to get up, afraid to say anything to Mary to ask her.  So, I just lie (lie,lay, laid, lain...) lay there silently, quivering.  Until...

I felt the barest weight and soft little feet, padding up and over my legs: one, two, three, four.  I wanted to scream, but knew I couldn't...

Ayeeeeeek! (I shrieked silently)  And then I woke up.  In practically a cold sweat.  With William having crawled into bed beside me.

Little stinker.