I’ve been sick in bed with a nasty intestinal thing, accompanied by a high fever. When I was a kid, I had high fevers, and they were always accompanied by really great hallucinations. I had a very intense dream the morning the fever hit, and this time I was able to write most of it down before it evaporated.
Rita and I were driving in Charleston SC, and lost. Arrived at an intersection where streets came together strangely, and there was a restaurant so we went inside to look at a map and get our bearings. There was a chef there who I recognized – a tall man who I’d met at Jon Carroll’s. I asked his name, and he told me but it was garbled. We talked for a while and then he disappeared back into the kitchen in mid-conversation.
There were a lot of people eating at big long tables, huge piles of golden fried chicken which was referred to as “the baked dinner.”
I kept waiting for the chef to came back out. Other chefs walked by on their way out of the kitchen.
A man walked in, and as I was thinking, “Isn’t that Elvin Bishop?” Then Michael Bloomfield walked in, accompanied by a couple of other guys. One of his companions recognized me and introduced me to Bloomfield, who was very big and had very big hands; when he shook my hand he only took a couple of my fingers. Nice man, tho.
“I guess we ought to eat here,” I said to Rita.
Still waiting for the chef to return.
I looked into another room and there was Blair Jackson, talking to a man I don’t know. I walked over and sat at his table. Blair said he was there for the wedding of (mumble), and I said, “Ah, so there will be a lot of us around.” The man sitting with Blair pulled a large television set in front of his face, and then the TV screen showed an amateur rocket launch of sorts that appeared to be the lifting of a large, rectangular concrete object a few feet into the air in a cloud of black smoke.
Feel free to post your interpretations!
when you were a child you had a fleeting glimpse.
did your hands feel just like two baloons?
Oh, sure, things like that happen all the time around here. ;^) (Except we never call fried chicken “the baked dinner”! It’s very good when you’re baked, though.)
But really, I’m not much good at dream interpretation, so I won’t even go there. I will, however, note that Stephen Colbert is from Charleston, which may or may not have something to do with the location of your dream. . .
I’m glad you’re feeling better.
Robert
)))
My attempt at interpretation – Deep down you’ve always wanted to play with the Butterfield Blues Band, even if it is only in front of a wedding crowd all these years later.
Thanks for the dream share. I’m kind of fascinated with dream details of music people.
I like what Joseph Campbell says about dreams being an indicator of body organs being in harmony with each other.
Hmm – I hope there’s not a connection between the rocket, block of concrete and your problem intestines.
Colbert — I love the guy as a fuuny man.
The America debate is way out of hand on both sides – its principles above personalities. Nobody discusses true issues much – the news is about personalities – who is under fire, who is down in the polls, who is a traitor or patriot, who is for god. If the stuff is funny – its funny no matter how critical it is. Colbert is a funny guy but I don’t know how much his latest speech helps America and the kids over in Iwreck.
War – The only way most wars are ended is genocide in my opinion. Who in the hell wants that to happen? That’s the only way we won in Germany, Japan, the American Indians – killing thousands of innocents till somebody surrendered. That’s the only way Saddam kept power was genocide of his own people. So if we’re not prepared to do that – then we need to get the hell out and start working on real problems. Getting poor kids to do the dirty work and giving lucrative contracts out on a fake war ain’t cutting it.
Funny about the rocket and the concrete, Gary!
Re Colbert, I think it’s of primary importance that George Bush’s bubble of (self-) deception be burst in as dramatic and decisive a way as possible. His delusion has been massively lethal and will have devastating effects for years to come. And one of these days the entire planet s going to pay the price of one man’s personal pathology. It happened to a large extent in WWII.
Well, David…we will get to your dream in a moment. Last night I dreamt that I was trying to get to an Elvin Bishop show but he cancelled because he was going into rehab and then devoting his life to “the lord”. No lie! Maybe I just read his name somewhere recently and I need rehab and the lord!
Your dream:
With the long tables, blues-based musicians, SC and golden fried chicken it is very clear – you and Rita were really trying to get to Granny’s Fried Chicken House outside of Waynesville NORTH CAROLINA! It is a classic spot where they bring heaping plates of fried chicken, rice with gravy and pitchers of sweetened ice tea. Oh yea, and the non-smoking section is like one little table in the corner – the Tobacco Belt ya know.
Really though, with you being ill, your mind is just trying to tell your body to put better fuel in it and steer clear of any elixirs that Elvin (man did that guy used to party!) and unfortunately, Bloomfield used to favor. The other aspect could be that you dreamt on the eve of Cinco De Mayo means that you are destined to finally see the Hacienda Brothers at The Palms in July!
Oh I can make shit up all day long!
Y’know, I’m a poretty healthy guy. My favorite “intoxicant” is the Kind that grows wild from the ground. I hardly ever drink, and I never indulge in those refined items that wrecked so many creative people’s lives. Nor do I eat fried chicken very often.
In North Carolina, I do ocasionally hit Mama Dip’s in Chapel Hill. Maybe I’ll get to Granny’s some time, although usually the smell of fried chicken is enough to get my heart beating S-O-S.
As for your relentless insiatence on my seeing the Hacienda Brothers, I have learned over time that I tend to get turned on to bands much more easily when I see ’em live than on CD. So I’ll take you up on that the next time they’re in town and I am, too. You stay on me about that, Rod.
I think this is a sign you are destined to visit Charleston this summer. It’s your subsconscious telling you it has to be done. 🙂
What brings you to Chapel Hill when you go? I love that town, always wanted to move there. Still might, once my daughter (going to be a Junior) is off to college. I’ll find a city, find myself a city to live in.
As to your dream, well, heckifIknow… But for some weird reason, I love the ring of “The Wedding of Mumble.” I think that should be the name of your next album.