Misfortune and Nightmares in Atlanta

This will be my third time typing this entire entry, due to several computer malfunctions. The last one of which I saved as a document, but somehow miraculously vanished off of my computer.

I arrived in Atlanta, one of the largest cities in the United States, around 7:00 pm… just after dark. Into the chaotic six lane shit storm rush hour traffic, amidst the high rises and illuminated digital motion billboards, I sought out the apartment I had waiting for me. I had a few hours before I had to be to work at 10:30 pm, and wanted to get some rest. After following my directions and getting stuck at an unexpected password locked gate with honking traffic on my rear, I worked my way back out and around through an exit gate that didn’t require a password to enter. Unfortunately I arrived a half hour after the office had closed for the night, and wouldn’t be able to get in until 10:00 am the following morning. I then drove the forty minute drive to work and resigned myself to getting comfortable in the parking lot for the remaining few hours before I had to be there. However, on my way to use the rest room at a nearby drive thru yogurt shop (the homosexual owner of which flamboyantly bitched me out for being in there after they closed, despite getting the go ahead by the black girl behind the counter), I locked my keys and cigarettes in my car. I was able to flag down a police officer and have him break into my car before work. After getting out exhausted around 4:00 am I was finally able to pass out. The following night, on my way to work, I found my car battery dead. I persuaded a neighbor to give me a jump for ten bucks, a jump that was completely unsuccessful. So I took a pleasant fifteen minute jog to a nearby wallmart, and a not so pleasant twenty minute jog back with a car battery in my arms. Needless to say…I was a bit late for work. After getting off around 4:30 am, driving home, and climbing the four flights of stairs to my apartment, I found that my apartment key was no longer on my key chain. I got back in my car, drove back to work, and paced the parking lot until I found where it had fallen off. A two hour inconvenience.

Last night I had a dream…

I was in a decrepit house with several black men. The ambiance was one of thug camaraderie. I felt safe, but restless, so I decided to take a walk. The light was that of early morning, or late dusk. I strolled down a sidewalk through the ghetto, passing several depraved and unhappy people as I went. Eventually I came to a large orphanage made of brick and wood, with several peaks and jutting windows. I walked in the front door and noticed several children sitting around in dim light having conversation. They noticed me, but payed no real mind or attention to my presence. I felt comfortable there and asked an attractive blonde woman, perhaps ten years my senior, if I could stay and help. She replied that they already had enough help, but that I was welcome to stay and talk to some of the older children as long as I wanted. Then the dream shifted…got darker. Something sinister was lurking outside, climbing the drain pipes and creeping though the upstairs windows into empty rooms… slowly working it’s way down stairs. I awoke.