Dream #64

The grocery store seems too bright with the florescent lights blaring down. As I stare off down the aisles, I can't exactly remember what I need to purchase. A man turns the corner and my gaze flickers to his expression. So much anger--so much discontent. And I decide, he must be a Carnivore. The man stomps off to the meat section, funneling through the steaks and sausages until he finds what he wants. It dawns on me that I am unfamiliar with my inner dinosaur. I have no idea how exactly to feed it....fish...chicken...salad?

"Can I help you?" the clerk asks me from behind the counter.

"I have no idea what I want," I reply.

"Ah," he says as if completely understanding something that still mystifies me. "You haven't figured out what you are."

Yes, indeed. What am I exactly? And as if to prove a point, he steps away from the counter as if to walk into the aisle, and for in instant, his inner image flickers to that of a dinosaur. He turns to see if I watching, and then does it again. A flash of light flutters through his body so quickly it would easily be missed, and then, I see his plated hunched back, a head smaller than the body, short front legs, and four spikes on the tail--a Stegosaurus. And then, before I could absorb anything more, the clerk moves on, tightening his white apron as he walks.

Another man approaches the meat counter and as I study his rigid demeanor, his face reddens. I step quietly away, afraid that I've upset him in some way. He begins to shout, striking the counter with his fist.

"I need some help here!" he bellows.

For a moment, his large barrel-chested frame disappears, consumed by the image of something large, powerful, and aggressive. He has long rows of sharp teeth and a long, powerful crocodile jaw--a Tyrannosaurus. I take another step backwards. The man turns and looks at me, smoothing back his thin hair. He smiles apologetically for a moment before walking away.

The clerk looks a me and says, "Those darn Carnivores. You never know what to expect."

I nodded politely, moving towards a row of salads. After all of that, certainly I must be a Herbivore.