Dream Logic in the Real World….

“Did you want a sheep?” asked the scruffy old man seated at the table on the sidewalk outside the café/deli.

“Excuse me?” (Maybe I misunderstood what he said.)

“Did you want a sheep?”

“Uh, no, sir, I don’t think I need a sheep.”

And I went into the deli... Who was this man? He appeared to be a fixture outside the store. Perhaps he was a farmer with sheep to sell. What an odd place to be looking for livestock buyers, here in this trendy neighborhood with its small cafes.

I purchased a sandwich and drink and went back out to await the rest of our group and to eat a little lunch before we took off on the scheduled scooter ride.

As I passed him again, he said, “Now you be sure to call me if you need any help!” I replied, “Yes, sir, I’ll be sure to do that.” I lied.

I returned to stand with the folks that had already arrived and ate half of my sandwich and drank my Coke. When I finished the Coke, I looked for a trash receptacle into which I could dispose of the empty bottle. I would have to walk by him again. Not too sure I wanted to do that! Suck it up, Kim. Just walk to the trash can and throw the bottle away.

As I passed, “I know you told the manager about me!” (Nope, not me.) As I returned, “That manager’s name is Shannon.” (Good to know).

Back with my own group, I pondered what to do with the remainder of my sandwich. It was a very good sandwich, prosciutto ham with fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, and fresh basil on good Italian bread, but with three to four hours of scootering ahead of me, the sandwich would be spoiled by the time I got home. I couldn’t throw it away – That would be such a waste. I resolved to offer the sandwich to the old man.

“Excuse me, sir, I have half a sandwich here that I just couldn’t finish. Would you be interested in it?"

“Is it Italian?” he asked accusingly.

(What was the correct answer? Is an Italian sandwich a good thing or a bad thing?) “Well, I just bought it in there, it’s the number three on their menu.”

“Then it’s Italian. Okay, I’ll take it.”

I handed him the sandwich and walked away. Later, I saw that he did eat it.
Recounting the story to some of my scootering friends later, they related some things he had said to them – things that almost reflected on their personalities in some obtuse way. Did his offer of a sheep indicate that he knew I knitted and that I had an Australian shepherd in need of a job? Steve suggested that perhaps he was some sort of oracle, like the blind man in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” The whole thing was like experiencing dream logic while fully awake. You know dream logic…where things that make no sense whatsoever seem perfectly reasonable. You step out of a house, walk across the street and encounter another familiar place that in reality is miles and years away.

So what does this mean? Steve thinks there is a sermon in it. I haven’t found it yet. Ideas?