Uncovering the Life of Your Dreams

5

I was at the beach. It was a very hot summer day, and there weren't any clouds in the bright blue sky. Umbrellas and beach chairs dotted the sand, and the ocean was crowded with kids splashing each other in delight as they bounced in the waves. As I stood on the boardwalk and watched people walk by me, I could feel the sun warming my body and smell the scent of the ocean air. I looked down the boardwalk and noticed a beautiful woman with long blond hair wearing a yellow bikini leaning against the rail that separated the boardwalk from the beach.

“Am I dreaming?” I asked. As had become my habit, I checked my watch, and it wasn't working. I thought I might wake up, since I had rarely made it past the point of checking my watch in previous dreams, so I quickly spun around two times. It worked! I was still lucid. My first inclination was to try to fly, so I ran down the boardwalk, past the blond-haired woman, and took off. It was a very poor attempt; I got a foot off the ground and traveled only a few yards before I fell to the boardwalk. It was a great feeling to fly and a not-so-great feeling to hit the hard boardwalk. I again sensed that I was about to wake up, so I got to my feet and spun around a few more times. Still sleeping and still lucid, I felt bruised but awesome, like a little boy who just got off a ride on the bumper cars.

I doubled back to the woman on the railing and stood behind her, feeling unsure about pursuing my next urge. Without looking at me, she reached ...