Halifax (NS, not Yorks) 2012 — Preliminaries and Dreams

Ever since my (second) cousin (once removed) Noah went to university in Halifax, I've had the idea that it would be a good idea to visit the city while he's there and let him be my "trusty native guide." He finished four years there last spring, and I thought I had missed my chance, only to realize over the summer that he's still there.

I looked at my calendar a few weeks ago and found that there was nothing on it for Oct. 23-26. I procrastinated, of course, but last Sunday I finally booked flights and an hotel room.  I also messaged Noah on Facebook about my plans, hoping we could visit. So far, no response.

On Monday afternoon, I took a nap, and I  had a couple of dreams. In one of them, I was in Halifax with Noah. He led me into a garage whose floor sloped slightly up. When we got almost to the back he gave me a clear glass bottle with a clear liquid in it, and the label turned away from me. He invited me to try it. I guessed that it was "shine" — illegally distilled rum. I slowly raised the bottle, expecting the liquid to be harsh, but found it smooth and nearly flavo(u)rless. I began to ask where it came from, but Noah said it was not the time or place to talk about it. A thin-faced, mustachioed, fortyish man (apparently some authority on campus) came to the doorway, and I surreptitiously rolled the bottle to Noah as I said hello. We went past him. Outdoors I found a picnic table. Noah was seated at the far end on one side, enjoying the meal. There were several young women along the same side (and maybe opposite). He invited me to get some food and join them. Noah and I were walking down the street talking about the "shine" and I realized that I had not brought my passport with me to Canada. If the authorities found out, I'd be deported at once. We walked past a police car parked at the side of the road. Noah went to the other side and began to walk down the intersecting street. The police car came down the street, drove onto the sidewalk, and stopped next to me. Noah advised me to play it cool. As I tried to do so, and to walk away, Noah came back and ducked down trying to avoid being noticed by moving sideways on his hands and feet sort of like a spider, as he passed in front of the car. Then I woke up.

In the other dream, it had rained heavily, and the ground was wet. When I stepped on the grass, water seeped into my shoes. I got up on a low platform to keep dry. A few feet away, a neighbor and a woman friend of hers were in her yard. They were wearing sneakers, and as they walked and we conversed about the situation, the water nearly covered the tops of the sneakers.