Shoes & Distraction

I was with my husband A. and our best friend J. (real people), and for some reason I had to leave them and go buy some shoes--quickly, so as not to keep them waiting. I looked and looked, and finally lit on a pair of pale green suede slip-ons that I only sort of liked. The shoe-shopping area was crowded, and I let out a frustrated sigh when some women pushed past with a shopping cart. We agreed that there were too many people--but thought the excellent bargains the reason for the crowds. Indeed, my shoes were marked down to $125.00 or so from in the $500s. I got them and left, only to join a group of people from my waking-life academic department, who were at a long table feasting on Indian chocolate bars soaking in water and some savory egg roll-type things. The only recognizable person there was R.; everyone else was a dream-composite. The R. of the dream, however, had a 5-year-old daughter whose picture he showed me. I was rather the center of attention at this gathering, probably because I had come late. Just as I realized I had neglected to pay for the shoes, someone spotted A. and J. across the room looking for me. But I awakened before they could approach (and likely express their annoyance).