In the dream, she looks like a black man who rides on my bus about once a week. He's a puzzle wrapped in an enigma wearing a fake leopard skin skirt, blouse and hat. He boards the bus laden with grocery bags. He tends to wear blue eyeliner and brushes his cheeks with glitter. He makes no attempt to sound like a woman. He is who he is, which is clearly a fixture in the community. I have yet to see anyone roll their eyes when he gets off the bus; in fact, he and the bus driver get along famously and he's good at striking up conversations with riders. We now say hello, although I favor the back of the bus and he sits up front.
In the dream, his face is on the new preacher at the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg. Dream Center has made the Unitarian Church into a large-ish, stadium seated, semi-circular auditorium which, if you knew what it actually looks like, you'd appreciate the change (Dream Center has a sense of humor). Dream Center has retained the glass front and the rood screen in the sanctuary, the halls surrounding it, and the location. The idea that it has the not-quite-mega-church appearance is wonderfully ludicrous.
Anyway, this guy is the new minister, a black, sassy, heavy-set woman who peppers her conversation with "honey"s and "child"s and "I know that's right"s. I love her. She has clearly blossomed. She's concerned that I no longer go there. I tell her that the matter is well behind me, as is the minister responsible. In point of fact, the congregation is overjoyed that he's gone and are tentatively happy with her as the new minister.
She asks me to help with the kids and sends me into a room behind the rood screen. The former minister is leaving. He looks at me; I don't know what kind of face to wear, so I nod and walk on. A bunch of tween boys look at me and line up. They know what's going on, even if I don't. They line up and sort-of march out the door and walk across the front of the auditorium without mugging very much, which surprises and delights me. We're outside and walking on a city sidewalk. Other groups of shepherded kids approach from the other direction. One of the adults tells me that it's not there, "it" apparently being what we're walking to see. I have no idea what she's talking about, but I think that means we might as well return to the church.
I don't know why any of this is important except for the assignment of characters. Why would the man who always wears the fake leopard skin outfit on the bus become the new minister as a woman at the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg, which is as white as any church in the burg? Did Dream Center need a black character and he was available so he appeared? I tend to think not, but I certainly come in contact with black women that any of them could have been tapped...so why him? Did Dream Center want to make a casual comment on UCH? And why did it even bother to set a dream there? OK, I still have issues with how I was let go there, and I'm actually rather happy that the current minister has decided to leave. But I find it interesting that Dream Center has placed the fake leopard skin wearing guy in charge.
Dream Center's been nice to me lately. I've actually ridden on a roller coaster...usually, I just see them and if I get on, something happens so the train doesn't move, but this was a good ride. I've been in a play in which I have a role I do well, don't forget my lines, don't show up in the wrong cast...just have fun doing well acting. I've been able to put Queenie at the broadcasting stations in her place with logic. That might be the most satisfying recent dream. (Spell Check wonders if I mean "weenie"? Interesting.) Usually there's at least some anxiety in dreams set there, but this one came off just fine.
So a dream set at UCH with a new minister is an interesting way to spend the night. "A dream is a wish your heart makes/When you're fast asleep." Disney's Cinderella? Whatever. It's rather delightful. Thank you, Dream Center.
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