Dec 7 - The Recurring Dream Walk

I think I've written before about my recurring dream. In a nutshell here it is:  In my dream I'm trying to get somewhere... an airport... a meeting... a dinner engagement.  But despite my best efforts I just can't seem to get there.  Everything imaginable happens to slow me down... the craziest most improbable things... things that aren't rational or explainable. It feels like my feet are in quicksand or concrete. I wake up tense and irritated, but, once I realize it was just that dang dream again, relieved and happy I'm awake. Often there's a lingering desire to get back into the dream and complete the journey... and find some closure.

I've attributed this dream to some latent fears I must have had of missing flights, appointments, or deadlines during my life in the business world. It doesn't happen often now that I'm retired and not in the rat-race anymore. But once in a while... every month or two...here we go again.

All that was a set-up for this. The other day during our visit to downtown Atlanta I had a wide-awake version of my recurring dream. It started innocently enough at the Capitol when we asked for directions to Max Lagers Grill and Brewery. We love discovering new craft beers and often combine visits to Capitols with visits to brewpubs.  Dar said it was on Piedmont Street... 320 Piedmont I think. They looked at each other with unknowing eyes but when they heard "Piedmont", sprang to life. "Well, Piedmont runs right alongside the Capitol and those two tall towers just across the street are, I think, 225 Piedmont. So it should be just a block from there. Off we walked.

Here's a block-by-block recap of our short jot to lunch at Max Lagers Grill and Brewery. The blocks I mention below are city blocks.

Block 1 of our trek (right across from the Capitol): didn't look right for a restaurant area. Didn't smell right either. Did find a building with a 276 on it, so we walked on.

Block 2:  found a 156 Piedmont. What's going on? The numbers are going down. We discussed and decided we may have to walk it down to zero before it'll start climbing back up again... and to the target of 320 Piedmont.

Block 3:  found an 88 Piedmont. Kept walking.

Block 4:  found a 68 Piedmont. Huhhh?

Block 5:  28 Piedmont.

Block 6:  23 Piedmont.  I'm now firmly fixed in my dream and my feet completely caked with wet concrete... and I... just... can't seem... to get... there.  I'm starting to sweat, feeling clammy.

Block 7:  64 Piedmont. This is getting ridiculous. Who assigns numbers to buildings in this town anyway?

Block 8:  After finding an 87 Piedmont, we stop to discuss. Dar looks at the guide book and informs me Max Lagers is on Peachtree... NOT Piedmont. What??? This is the kind of pin-point precision one looks for in a navigator, isn't it?

Block 9:  Sketchy map seems to indicate Peachtree parallels Piedmont a couple three blocks west. Off we go.

Block 10: cross Courtland Street

Block 11: Ahh... Peachtree Center Ave.  We now resume our northward crawl.

Block 12: found a 125 Peachtree Center Ave.  Keep walking.

Block 13: found a 181 Peachtree Center Ave??

Block 14:  209 Peachtree Center. I'm getting tired and more convinced than ever that I'm in my dream and will NEVER get to our destination. We'll probably die of thirst and hunger and no one will know why these two otherwise healthy people are laying dead on the sidewalk... in the Twilight Zone.  Found someone walking by, looked like they worked in one of the hotels around here, and asked when... indeed, IF we'd ever find 320 Peachtree??  After a short friendly exchange he determined we were looking for Peachtree Street, not Peachtree Center Avenue. Peachtree Street is one more block to the west. But he warns us to be careful... there is a Peachtree Plaza, a Peachtree Way, and a Peachtree Court, and a...  I stopped listening.

Block 15: found Peachtree Street.  Found a 237 Peachtree Street. We've GOT to be close.

Block 16: found a 265 Peachtree Street. I can't take much more of this.

Block 17: a short block... it's all a Park.  Found a fellow whose job it is to help tourists with directions and  information. It might be more accurate to say he found us. I started, "Oh please, kind sir, can you take pity on a couple visitors... tourists really? We've traveled far and are weary with the dust of the road. Can you help us find refreshment and sustenance at a place called Max Lagers?  We've traveled too far to have to turn back now."

To make a long story a little bit shorter, let me just say he did help us. He pointed to a sign, just a short half-block away, and said "Go there, young travelers. They will help you".

A few moments later we happily perched on barstools, were holding a tasty pint of craft beer, and toasting our accomplishment. We thoroughly enjoyed an excellent lunner too... but the thought of having to walk back to our car was heavy on our minds. What if this will be the part of the dream where we NEVER get there???

Come to think of it... I'm not sure any of this actually happened or if it truly WAS all a dream. I'm getting tired and my eyes are heavy. It's all fading so fast.