I work in an architectural firm in London, but I plan to quit. The boss's son is disappointed. I'll miss him, though not his dad, who's a bit stuffy. I say "Well, I'm kinda relieved to be rid of this job... now I can go out and really see London as I originally intended when I came here. Come out tonight, let's have a night on the town. I'll stand you a drink in your favorite spot."

He says "You're not inviting your workmates too, then?"

"Yes, why not?" I say.

"Well... they won't want to go if I go." says the son. "They don't like to be seen with me, I think."

I'm shocked and he adds, "Oh, I understand--going out drinking and dancing with a cripple is embarrassing... not that I hold them back logistically, but seeing one member of our group with a crutch... it scares off the girls I guess."

I think he's dead wrong. I doubt they even noticed his slight limp. They may avoid him because he's the boss's son... or it could be simple bigotry. He's gentle, small, even delicate... but he IS a centasaur! Those four legs, the equine torso part furred, part scaly, and that arching, toothy saurian head with a bright crest or frill... he's quite beautiful in his way. But a shock the first time, even for cosmopolitan London. I think they just don't want to be seen with a monster!

He says, brightening, "I'll come anyway."

Suddenly I feel happy. Free in London, with a buddy who'll attract everyone's eyes... and even if he scares half the women on Earth, the other half will be the fun ones!

Such a burst of energy, anticipating! I didn't realize how tired I was, of working on the old man's plans...

NOTES ON WAKING

• Why reptilian? A recurring theme lately. I keep judging myself to be "cold-blooded" for protecting myself. But then we all thought dinosaurs were cold and slow, too!
• Four legs = four aspects of personality, four Jungian functions: 1) body/senses, 2) mind/thoughts, 3) heart/feelings, 4) spirit/intuition. They roughly correspond to four of the seven chakras in Indian psychology. So his upper, centaurlike torso, with arms and a head-crest, may represent development in the three remaining chakras:
  1. will, assertion, power and action in the world
  2. creativity and communication
  3. mystical transcendence; oneness with Creator and Creation.
  If so, the centasaur may be that rarity--a nearly whole person!
• The limp = I now have three out of four Jungian functions working! I had a brain from the start, but I had to reclaim my intuition, and then my feelings. But my body's still weak, often sick. One leg to go, before full stability...
• The co-workers = the people here at Stanford where I work feel like this--decent enough but narrow sometimes. Two sound legs, but ONLY two--and uncomfortable with more. I've been failing to recognize why I don't fit in here. It's not because I'm crippled--it's my differences, my strengths! When I'm fully healed I'll be even MORE unlike my colleagues--more legs, not less.
• The old man's plans = My dad was a Stanford academic, and here I am working in the library of his old school, when I'm more suited to the arts. I didn't realize I might be clinging to the familiar and secure, the family plan...
• I need to leave. Find a big tolerant city, and work to heal my fourth leg. Oh, and don't wait till I'm healed to start dating! Some women out there have been known to like a three-legged man...

World Dream Bank homepage - Art gallery - New stuff - Introductory sampler, best dreams, best art - On dreamwork - Books
Indexes: Subject - Author - Date - Names - Places - Art media/styles
Titles: A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - IJ - KL - M - NO - PQ - R - Sa-Sh - Si-Sz - T - UV - WXYZ
Email: wdreamb@yahoo.com - Catalog of art, books, CDs - Behind the Curtain: FAQs, bio, site map - Kindred sites