Ishmael

Last night, my dream(s) wandered through various scenes, with one continuous chorus: Ishmael.

Scene1:
At the beginning of my dream, I was at the house of my employer's in-laws. There they were telling me of a brick church built in Galena. Apparently the roof had been built in the style that the town wanted, but not the rest of the building. Moreover, the roof was much larger than the rest of the building and had been constructed first. My boss' father-in-law (Chuck) declared that he and his wife would have joined the church if it had been built earlier, but still recommended that I visit it.

Scene 2:
I was outside a house with a porch, apparently babysitting from a family. My charge was a young girl of around 6, and I recall being so happy to be in the company of children again.

Scene 3:
This event was apparently a film that I was watching and also partaking in. It took place inside the house mentioned in scene 2. There were horses that looked like cats. And one was to be released into the next room. However, both got out, with Alia speeding after them. She chased the one which was not to be out below the stairwell on which Reed and another stood. Reed had a volleyball in his hand and was supposed to spike it at the horse/cat. He missed his cue, and the narrator spoke, "He gave the ball a pathetic thud, hardly matching with the loud boom which followed on its impact."

Chaos then ensued.

Chorus:
Throughout the dream, weaving intermittently through the waves of weak plot was one word: Ishmael. Ishmael. Ishmael. When I heard the word I saw the rims of clay cups, roughened and not yet rounded; they spun and weaved before me like wheels. And tumultuously the word: Ishmael.

All through the night I could hear the traffic rattling along--above speed limit--and each bump that woke me sounded "Ishmael."

I finally awoke to a thud which seemed to narrate something being hit or run over. I then heard the semi pull to a stop. I woke with a start and the word "Ishmael" engraved in my mind.