Wednesday, April 17, 2013

In Dreams, Anyway, by Perri McGowan


I can fly. Not like in an airplane, really, truly fly. Like a fairy. No — more like Peter Pan, with fairy dust!  I can zoom and float and twist in the air, move up, down, east, west, wherever I please. If I want to get away from something, I just think to myself "let's get out of here, girlfriend" and I start to feel all light and floaty, and I am. And I get out of there. In dreams, anyway.

I work in a circus, a really great, magical circus. One with giant tents that have no obvious supports, but just hang above our heads majestically. A circus with beautiful people with extraordinary talents, and regal animals who know all their tricks without need of any of the abuses that probably happen at normal, inferior circuses. They want to be a part of this circus, and they're all my friends. I am an acrobat. And a singer. And I do tricks on those big beautiful white horses. Sometimes I am even the Strong Man. I do it all, at some point or another, and I do it well. In dreams, anyway.

I set the world record for something. Something cool. Something amazing. Something important. Everyone loves and admires me for it. I've saved lives by setting this record. No one will forget me, because of it. I'll go down in history as the most important, talented girl in the whole history of the world. I'll never be forgotten. When I walk down the street, people stop me (politely) to shake my hand, to have me kiss babies. I'm universally known and loved. In dreams anyway.

I have a menagerie and a botanical garden in my backyard.  The exotic flowers of all kinds of vibrant colors stand high over my head, raining sweet smelling pollen over me, and it doesn't even make me sneeze. The flowers are all abuzz with the activity of hundreds of beautiful bees and hummingbirds  The bees don't sting, so there's no reason to be afraid. I like to let them come to rest on my shoulders while squirrels sit around my feet and I tell them all stories and they listen and understand. In dreams, anyway.

My fears have all been confronted and dealt with. Nothing can hurt me. I live my life to the fullest, with no hesitation. Experiences are had that fulfill me an enrich my life. I do what I want with people I love and who I know love me. We only cry from laughter, never from anger, fear, hate, sadness. But I remember what it is like to feel all of those emotions, but only enough to make me appreciate the joy and happiness of the moment. And I'm never, ever, ever lonely.

In dreams, anyway.