Tuesday, August 12, 2008

I dreamed that I was apprentice to a typesetter.

Together we lived in a huge crumbling mansion across the street from the well-kept mansion of a bishop, or some kind of bishop-like religious figure. He would appear in the early mornings dressed in a red robe and nightcap to collect the papers on his front door.

The typesetter I worked with was potentially a murderer, and the whole building was full of creepy Victorian scientific equipment as well as printing machinery. There was one machine that was like a huge typewriter, but for shapes and flourishes instead of letters. Sometimes a larger version of Lester lived in the house with us, and he looked very very green against the dark gray colors of the print shop.

At one point, the typesetter and I were giving a tour of the shop to someone--perhaps someone who knew that the typesetter was a murderer and was trying to secretly find some evidence. I remember thinking that I would have helped him find the evidence if I knew what it was. At the far corner of the print shop, which was in the huge attic of the mansion, was a door. The typesetter led us through the door and said, "And this is my master suite bedroom." The walls, floor, and ceiling were covered with loose type, and there was loose type rolling about on the floors, unfixed. At the back corner were a series of metallic frames that looked like old bed frames, but were also pieces of type, somehow.

Then my alarm went off, and I got up and ate some high fiber high protein cereal with blueberries.

7 comments:

Ridiculous Human Things said...

Hi Lorraine,

Are you still up for a manuscript swap? This is Lindsey from the Press: Conference at The Evergreen State College. It's funny to leave this as a comment but it seemed the best way to get in touch.

yours,

Lindsey

Kraig Grady said...

Nice Dream, but somehow i feel that the typesetter was not as bad as 'felt' ...to remind the power of words?. or a metaphor for the media, neighbors of the church. no interpreting your dream though really, just my own second hand resonance here:)

Annandale Dream Gazette said...

Hi Lorraine -- I like your blog a lot. Also like the stuff you were talking about at Dodie Bellamy's the other day.

May I include this dream in the Annandale Dream Gazette? www.annandaledreamgazetteonline.blogspot.com

Take care.

K. Lorraine Graham said...

Lindsey: Yes, I'd love to trade manuscripts. I'll be in Vancouver next week, but I'll get in touch with you after that. I believe I have your email address. Thanks for remembering that I would be up for a trade!

Craig: It was definitely the most text-heavy dream I've ever had. I rarely see words or even letters in my dreams, so the fact that I dreamed I was in a house of type must be significant, I agree.

Annandale Dream Gazette: Thanks for your comments about my blog. I'm especially glad to know that you are interested in some of the posts about Dodie Bellamy's work. All of those ideas have been churning in my brain, so it's helpful to know that people are reading.

Yes, I'd be happy to have you include this dream in the Gazette. Thanks : )

Jessica Smith said...

wow, that is a great dream.

btw, annandale's name is lynn.

Annandale Dream Gazette said...

Thanks, Lorraine.

(Hey Jessica! Hope all is well.)

DUSIE said...

great dream!!! i felt like i was there with you...sounds like a dream i could've had...babies turning into words, etc