Pillow Talk

K came into the bedroom after the shower.

B (startled): "Hmm? (reaching out for K) Was I talking in my sleep?"

K: "I didn't notice. Why? Had a vivid dream?"

B (lazily): "Yeah..."

K: "D'you remember what it was?"

B: "..............." (falling asleep again)

K sat on the the edge of the bed, dreading the fact that she'd soon have to leave this air-con'd room and head out for work. It was only 7:30, yet it was already 30 degrees out.

B (startled again): "Why are you up so early?"

K: "I had to dry my hair. (K climbed back in bed) I had a dream last night where we took Peanut to the mountains."

B (eyes closed): "Yeah?"

K: "You had Peanut in a strap carrier on your chest, and I was walking in front of you. I saw this toy thingy that had 15 holes and a ball. You know, one of those things that you tilt it to get the ball into a hole. You know what I'm talking about?" K turned to look at B.

B acknowledged with his eyes still closed: "Mmm-hmm."

K: "Anyway, so I tilted it and a ball went into a hole. But then a small snake came out from another hole and scared the crap out of me. I dropped it right away, and I realized we were in a place that sold snakes and lizards."

B snorted.

K (wiggled to examine B closely): "Are you falling asleep again?"

B (tried really hard to open his eyes): "No (sounding almost offended)! I'm listening."

K: "So there was this... what are they called? Those really big scary lizard-like things that live in the Galapagos?"

B (sounding suddenly wide awake): "Galapagos lizards are the ones that can swim. You're probably thinking of komodo dragons. They live on komodo island though, not the Galapagos (voice energy started to drop...... big yawn) They're the ones that can attack humans."

K: "Yes! There was a huge komodo dragon in a rectangular cage, and a lot of people were around the cage. There was this little girl... she can't be more than 2 years old... walking dangerously close to the cage, right? .... Are you sleeping? Listen! It's really scary!"

B lazily opened his eyes and smacked his lips.

K: "The komodo dragon had just been fed and was still swallowing the last bite of his food. In my dream, I wondered why the little girl's mother thought it was okay for her to be so close to the cage. I turned to look at you and was glad that Peanut was safe with you. Then the little girl started walking back toward her mother, but she was brushing her hand along the cage. I knew something bad was about to happen. Sure enough. When she was close enough, the komodo dragon suddenly attacked her from inside the cage. I screamed, Nnnooooooooo!!!!!"

B (chuckled): "Aiyo~" ("Aiyo" is a Chinese expression that doesn't really have any literal meaning. It's something people say when they jokingly express slight frustration or annoyance).

K (poked B): "Whaaaat? Why aiyo?"

B (turned to his side to face K): "Your body is totally controlling your mind now. All the dreams you've had are all because you're getting ready to be a mom.... the birth dreams, breastfeeding, putting a diaper on his face, and now a child in danger.... by the way, why were you putting a diaper on his face anyway?"

K: "I donno.... But the komodo dragon bit the tips of the little girl's fingers off.... okay... they weren't completely off... they were dangling from her fingers.... But what is one to do in this situation?"

B closed his eyes again: "Mmm."

K: "We should take a first aid class with infant CPR. I mean, in my dream, everyone froze while the little girl was screaming in pain with blood gushing out of her finger tips."

B didn't respond. Guess this was not the image he'd like to wake up to.

K: "What I did in the dream was I shouted, 'call an ambulance'. Then I got someone to bring some ice, a towel, and the First Aid Kit."

At this point, B knew there was no point trying to go back to sleep. He grabbed his iPhone and playfully balanced it on his cheek.

K continued: "I put the girl's almost-detached finger tips on the ice and wrapped them in the towel. I also asked the little girl to raise her injured hand above her heart to prevent more loss of blood. That's what you'd do, right?"

B (lying on his side with his iPhone on his cheek): "Sounds about right."

K: "Yeah, but what should one really do in a situation like that? Though I was all calm in my dream, I think I might just freak out in real life."


This conversation eventually died as we both had to get on with getting ready for the day. One more thing to add to the "To Do List": Sign up for a first aid class.