Dreams seem easier to recall after a restful night’s sleep. But the other night was just plain strange. I seem to have had ghosts on my mind. And not Pirates (not POTC, a la J Depp), Casper, or a murdered psychotherapist.
In the movie Sixth Sense, Bruce Willis is a ghost, unaware that he is a ghost, who helps a young boy deal with his special, if terrifying, gift of seeing “dead people”.
On the other side of the specter, er, spectrum, I might have been channeling a twenty-five year old, Robert Downey, Jr, movie Heart and Souls, which has four ghostly “guardians” helping the character played by Downey. The other night, I had what seemed to me to be an all-night dream about Milton Berle performing stand-up in from of my church congregation. His microphone kept cutting out. For some reason, I was in charge of the sound in the auditorium and could not get his microphone to work properly. It’s not that I am technically challenged – I ‘m not. But why Milton Berle?? If I were to be haunted by comedians from the Beyond, I’d rather have Robin Williams, John Candy, Chris Farley or perhaps John Belushi. However, with a church audience, George Carlin might, understandably, have his mike cutting out a lot.
Since I have been reminiscing a lot about my Navy days, I may have still some misgivings about one stand up routine I did for my CPO Mess when I was an initiate. “Let the other Selectee tell that same joke”, they said. His deadpan delivery was so good they all laughed. At least for the Initiation Talent show I was much better imitating Beyonce. (No I won’t go into it now, and it was NOT by choice!)
Perhaps I identified with “Uncle Miltie” as a cigar enthusiast. Or his schedule for haunting may have been open. All the other ghosts were probably guests on the Johnny Carson Show – now appearing on an astral plane.
Truths, Half-truths, and Sea Stories 