MY DREAM

  Three nights ago, I had a dream; not just a dream during the night but an all-night dream. Even when I was awake the dream continued. During my visit to the rest room, there was a short intermission, but even as I laid down the dream continued. Maybe I was awake as much as asleep. With that said, was that a dream or a vision? I do not know.

  The dream commenced in an office. We employees were given a task. We were to find one thing that we could fix or improve upon and present it to the management on our return. There were no instructions except the factory adjacent was the challenge. Each of us was to identify something that required improvement and propose a way to improve the machines. I guessed that the goal was to fix a machine, and as soon as I entered the factory, that assumption was obvious!

  We all ran to the factory to be the first to complete our task. We were eager to fulfill the requirements and return to demonstrate our achievement. We all seemed to be undaunted and were motivated to see the change accomplished. With many in the running, there would be great improvement, but I wanted to be the first to succeed with the best improvement.

  I remember the group scattering quickly as they entered the factory building. I never learned what the product was there being made because I was immediately daunted! All that I could see were machines each with obvious malfunctions. Each machine was hard at work, but none were producing anything. They were working so hard that they looked as if they would explode. But all the work within the factory was to no avail because the product was nothing that we could see. Perhaps they were working hard to produce but not fed the raw ingredients; who knows?

  The machines were all much alike, but each had their own malfunction. Likewise, each machine, although alike, looked differently. They all had one thing in comment — they all were steaming at the joints of their heavy metal as if about to explode. We all have seen steam locomotives in cartoons that huffed and puffed with steam seeping that were about to explode and many did in the cartoon world. One big difference was in my dream, these machines were real!

  Everything in the factory were different shades of the same color. The dream was not in black and white, but more so everything was between an army green and a putrid color of brown.

  Grease oozed from each machine and even dripped from all the pipes and surroundings. Grease was everywhere, and as I entered the factory, I soon became as greasy as the machines! To the casual observer, I would be camouflaged; I had perhaps become a “locomotive”. Not that I looked like one of them, but I soon was the only mobile “machine” amongst them since my colleagues had long disappeared either in the distance or they soon blended in with their surroundings.

  Immediately, in my excitement, I selected the nearest machine. However, upon approaching it, I was soon dismayed. This machine had many, perhaps hundreds, of malfunctions, and it was about to explode. It would be impossible to make that machine run efficiently because of the number of problematic features.

  Feeling relieved that surely there was another machine with less problems, I turned away from that one. I had consumed, already, much time in my dream just examining all the problems. I would guess that for an hour or so, I pondered the problems and gave up on that particular machine because although it was working, there was no efficiency and besides, it was about to fall apart.

  Now much daunted, I looked around for a machine that was possible to improve. I studied many on that level for another hour or so in real time. Perhaps, I was awake at that time but was still dreaming; I do not know! I concluded that none could be fixed. So then, I proceeded to the next level.

  The factory was not on one floor as usual, but many machines were on each level. There were no  floors, but all the machines were anchored to one another. It seems that their connectors were mere pipes, all very large.

  The climb down to the next level was by stepping on and sliding down pipes level by level with many more malfunctioning machines.  I spent hours considering each level. Some of them seemed as if they could be repaired, but I did not know how any of them worked.

  I remember exploring one machine with only a few problems. I examined the myriad of valves on the face of the machine. It occurred to me that these machines were much like automobiles; not that they were moving or had wheels, but they all had machine “faces” as cars have.

  I grabbed a mechanical “nose” amongst the many valves. I assume that all these machines were hydraulic because there were no electrical panels or lights… just greasy control valves all over each machine. In fact, now I remember that there was no factory lighting. Perhaps the machines did have color, but the darkness made it undetectable.

  The machines were stationary, yet they moved. As I came closer, their joints would expand and contract, causing steam to be emitted from the joints. Perhaps they were showing me their flaws as I approached them.

  I remember gazing down through the levels of the factory. I could see no end to the levels of machines. An array of greasy pipes from me to who knows where is all that could be seen. I climbed down each level with fear since I was losing myself from the only door back to the office. From where I was now standing, I looked around, and up, down, and in all four directions; and everything looked the same. I became quite afraid and ceased descending the levels. I then climbed upward, hoping to return by the way that I had come.

  However, I could only climb without accomplishing anything. Surely, I had by then climbed more levels than I had descended, but I was still moving up but only to find that the next level looked about the same as the one before it.

  When I had entered the factory, I had failed to look up to see what was there. Why should I for I had assumed that all things were down and that I had been on the main level? Now, that I was climbing upward, it came to me that what I saw upward was so much like what I could see downward as well! I looked side-to-side and everything looked the same as well. Sure, there were small differences, but the mangle of machines and pipes were so much like a maze that I had no idea where I was.

  It occurs to me now, that in my dream, I had quit looking at the assigned project. I was by then worried only about myself. I wanted to discover my whereabouts and had given up on the machines.

  Before that, when I worked on that one machine, I remember giving up on all that was on the outside and I opened a hinged door to what was inside. The inside valves and their arrangement were even worse than on the outside, and each successive layer of doors revealed even more of a confusion of valves. The inside was certainly more complicated than the outside, and I gave up.

  Now, I was only concerned with myself. How would I get out? I no longer had a desire to be the one to accomplish the goal, but just to be back to normal. I wanted to be where things were different than where I was! I wanted to be back in the office with my friends and superiors. I was afraid that I would never be able to return from where I was, albeit before, I had complained much!

  I had been somewhat lazy at times before, but now I was working hard to return to where I had been. I remembered my colleagues and how they had irritated me so often, but if only they would grab me by the hand and lead me back to normalcy. Then it occurred to me; perhaps they too are lost and in the same situation. Looking closely, indeed I could see a moving greasy figure off in the distance. I shouted out but he or she did not hear me.

  This took all night. I was anxious all the while. Obviously, I made it out of the dream… or did I? Things were so real that I could still be in the dream. I pinched myself just now. No, the dream is over because I felt pain. However, I never got out in my dream. I left myself trying to get out of my predicament, but never made any progress with egress from that nasty inefficient place!

  Seeing yourself self in a vision or dream has a name in the German language — a doppleganger. I had seen an apparition of me; my other me.

  I think I have a answer to my dream. It will be revealed tomorrow. For any who wishes, your interpretation of the dream cam be made in the comments section below. 

(picture credit: ColourBox; "Old Diesel Engine")