Dreamland

The Mechanic

I’m working at a garage, repairing cars and vans. It’s the end of the day. I walk out with Mike; a guy I work with who is giving me a ride back into town to the place where I’m staying. (It’s the apartment from a previous dream, where we all sleep on sofas.) Mike’s brother pulls up in a pickup with another guy, asks him if he can help him clear some brush on his property for an hour or so. Mike agrees, but he’s not happy about it, says he’ll be there in a few minutes. His brother dives off down the road.

I ask Mike if he wants some help, offer to go with him. He doesn’t want to impose on me. “Nah, you just hang out, relax. It’s bad enough he’s got me working for him for free. I’ll be back here in an hour or so.”

Mike drives off in his old white VW Super Beetle. There is a run-down amusement park next door. I take a walk through to kill some time, stop to talk to the old guy who runs the place. (In Dreamland, he’s someone I know.) He says business has been bad, he’s only got a couple rides that still work. He’s thinking of shutting the place down. I sympathize with him, we talk a while, and then I say goodbye and wish him good luck. I want to use the men’s room near the park entrance, but it’s closed for repairs. I pee in the bushes behind the building instead, then continue on up the road.

I cross the street and head for a convenience store to buy a pack of smokes and a magazine, still have plenty of time to kill before my ride gets back. There is a lesbian couple standing next to a broken down motorcycle parked next to the store, trying to figure out what to do. Steam is coming from the bike, it’s obviously overheated. I help them, we pour water on the radiator to cool it enough to get the cap off, then fill the radiator. I tell them they probably need a thermostat, offer to install one if they want to bring it to the garage where I work. They thank me but refuse, saying that they should be able to ride it the couple miles to a friend of theirs place, he will fix it for them.

I go into the store, say “Hi” to the girl working the register. (She’s also someone I know in Dreamland; short brunette, ponytail, I think her name is Nancy.) I look through the magazine rack trying to decide what to buy. I’d like to pick up the latest Playboy but Nancy would probably disapprove, think I was a pervert, so I get a hot rod type car magazine instead. I pay for my magazine and cigs, walk back to the garage. The boss has gone home, the place is locked up. I have a seat on the hood of a junk car parked next to the garage. I light up a smoke and flip through the magazine. The sun is starting to go down, Mike should be here pretty soon.