a long time ago, i revealed that most of my dreams take place in a recurring location - a giant mall. i realize it undoubtedly speaks volumes about me that my sleeping life takes place in a mall. however, i'm almost never shopping in my dreams. the mall is really just the setting. and it's enormous. and has many dark, disused parts that are dimly lit by rather spooky blue lighting, but i always know my way. and i can tell you i've spent a lot of time in the vast complex parking structures attached to the mall.
not long ago, i dreamed that i was in a live version of civilization (the computer game) which was, of course, taking place in the mall. i was playing, doing all the things you do in civilization - gathering gold, chopping wood, finding water, hunting animals - in the mall. it was like there was an overlay of the civilization game on top of the features of the mall. and then at times, it would switch and the mall would be on the surface and i had to try to peel up bits and look underneath for the contours of the civilization map, to find the things i needed to find in the game.
and then a very thick book appeared. i couldn't actually tell how many pages it had because it kept renumbering itself. i began paging through and here and there were little pockets or wells or treasure chests, if you will, nestled inside the book. and they were filled with carefully wrapped little objects. i didn't open any of the things, but i seemed to know they contained stones and shells and other found treasures. the book had a soft, red leather binding that invited you to touch it. and ever since, i find myself longing for that book in my waking life.
i've thought a bit about what these dreams might mean, but then i realize that i'm content to just let them be as they are - mappings of my unconscious. but i do really wish i could find a book like that and at times, i admit i want to look under the escalators in a mall to try to get at something that seems more real.
