Last night I dreamed about the open sea

Last night, I had a dream that combined items from The Past, The Present, and (maybe) The Future.

On the open sea, on a sunny day, I was on a cruise ship. Smaller, but similar to the one I traveled on this past January in the Caribbean. The Sun shimmered on the water and bounced off the huge wake we made as we plowed North. At one point a strange Black Barge followed us, full of exposed white packages. A blonde fellow traveler informed me that it wasn't cocaine, but cleaning powder. A mechanism on the Barge whirred, and the exposed packages on the shelves swung into the Hull, hidden from view. The Black Barge began to slow and lag behind until it disappeared into the horizon behind us.

Soon, a large green catamaran with huge green pontoons passed us on the port side. It's blonde, Biff-looking captain in white polo and shiny khakis waved to us and yelled "passing on the left!" They flew by us, lifted up on one side in a 45 degree angle in the small canal we suddenly found ourselves in. The blonde female traveler stood next to me as well as my Uncle Doc, who suddenly appeared to my right with my parents. We were all in shock and awe that the catamaran captain held the bravery to paint his name in large black letters on the pontoon, for all the world to see. Then we were out of the canal and back to the wide open sea.

We decided to all retire to one of the lounges for a drink.

I got separated from the group, but ran into my cousin, Uncle Doc's son, in a strange game room. It held pinball machines, slot machines, and skeeball set ups. It was bright and yellow. I leaned against a skeeball setup, talking to a petite woman with dirty blonde hair. She reminded me of someone deep in my past who I've crushed on, but don't recall if I ever talked to. She, this fellow cruise ship traveler, played a game of slots. I found my heart aching to touch, talk, and hold this woman, I think she said her name was Nicole. She seemed tomboyish, but giggly. The game beeped and flashed, and she held up a coin grinning beautifully at me, "I won a nickel!" My heart leapt and jumped in happiness.

The three of us went to the Lounge for drinks.

We passed outdoor bars and salad bars with fresh fruit and lettuce shining brightly and wetly in the afternoon sun. I remember smiling a lot.

In the dark wood bar, leaning against a black leather bar stool, I talked to my Uncle Doc, who had lost a lot of weight and was now laying on the floor, sipping a cocktail with an tiny umbrella and straw. As I kept on eye on the well-polished bar, looking for an available Bartender, I told my Uncle of how Boss Frantic is screwing me over with hours, but killing me with 6 day weeks. About how Evil Fannie is coming back. About how I met this girl, who just went back to her room before I got her number. About another woman back home I like. About how I needed a new job, to find my Passion. About how I didn't know what to do.

He crossed his legs, put an arm behind his head like a pillow. He thought for a minute, sipped his drink for knowledge and said, "go find her."

I'm back in the white-walled stateroom, looking through the ship's phone directory. It's the size of Chicago's White Pages. All the names look foreign, full of N's, K's, and Z's, and are in no real order. I start skimming from page one, my finger running under all the first names looking for Nicole. I am unsure of her name, now. I am alone in the room. I feel that, with patience, I'll find her before the cruise ends.

I awake.