Reunion

The Dreamer is inside a room with long tables in front of computers. Then the Dreamer is investigating the workstations. He looks at one workstation that has a note on it related to “defense services”. Then the Dreamer is in front of his high school classmate, Steve Born. Steve tells the Dreamer about his security work. Then Steve inquires about a job with the Dreamer. The Dreamer says that the job “requires DoD Security Clearance”.

Then the Dreamer is in the backseat of a car in the parking lot outside of a childhood strip mall. In the front seat is the Dreamer’s high school classmate, Dean. Dean is telling that Dreamer that one time he tried to meditate, but it didn’t work for him. The Dreamer offers encouragement.

Then the Dreamer is back in the computer lab. He is walking down the aisle of desks. He recognizes the Dean of Students and Principal. The Dean of Students gives him a blank, stern, look.

Then the Dreamer is walking around the back of the lab. He sees Bill Rohe at one of the stations. Bill is wearing a mask over his face.

Then the Dreamer is talking to unknown students about a former classmate, Bill Kushner. It is recounted by one of the students that Kushner has died from an MDMA overdose. The Dreamer jokes that it is odd that Bill took ecstasy while he was going to an all boys high school.

Then the Dreamer is in the front row of a musical performance. The music is a female-led grunge band. The Dreamer asks a waitress for more information on the band. The waitress hands him a flyer in the shape of a coaster.

Then the Dreamer is in conversation with a group of unknown women. He is wearing a beige suit, the first suit he ever owned. One of the unknown women remarks that he “cleans up nice.” He says that he “wears this everyday. Not like I would get dressed up for a bunch of old farts.” The Dreamer backtracks, “old farts and hot babes.” Then the Dreamer sees the faces of the unknown women. They are all clones of his high school crush, Jessica.

Then the Dreamer is walking away from the unknown women toward the water cooler. He goes the wrong way. He bumps into a desk. He backtracks to find his way out. Then the Dreamer sees Dan Hermannson at the water cooler.

Then the Dreamer is outside with Jason. They are having conversation. Then the Dreamer sees an ice cream stand.

Context: I’ve been receiving invitations to my 25th high school reunion.

Associations: Steve Born, competitive, jock; computer lab, competitive success; Dean of Students, creepy; Dean (the classmate), quiet, smart, authentic; Bill Rohe, smart, awkward; Bill Kushner, jock, awkward; Jessica, crush; Dan Hermannson, awkward, smart. The parking lot where the Dreamer is driving with Dean was the parking lot of the bar where my mother used to work in the 90s.

Feelings: overconfidence in the lab and in front of the unknown women, guilt from the lie (about the job requirements), awkward in front of the unknown women, authentic in front of Dean and Jason

Interpretation: This is a dream about the judging function related to some of the Dreamer’s persona. The Dreammaker is suggesting that the persona of being a confident, funny, competitive guy was initiated around the mother’s “bar-scene” of the 90s and solidified in high school. But the fact is that the Dreamer is just as much quiet, smart, authentic, a little creepy and socially awkward guy who likes girl bands, meditation, and ice cream (qualities that he projects in others). The Dreammaker is suggesting that the Dreamer index the persona and soften the related judgements.