The Strange Incident of April 29

I've been recording my dreams lately. I hauled out an old book that I used to use to keep them in. Bought it in Malaysia. Funky, mesmerizing pattern on the cover. Anyway, recording your dreams is supposed to make you better at remembering them, and one step closer to the sought-after lucid dream, which I've had but that's a whole other subject. Suffice to say that I've had some pretty weird images and experiences in my waking mind of late. But that's not what this was.

I set out this morning running late. I was on just 4 hours of sleep. I don't do that much anymore, but chilly out, I was feeling awake and clear-headed, regardless. I pulled my rain jacket about me for warmth.

Crossing the street into the park that leads to the park'n'ride and my bus to work, I put my earbuds on and hit play. I'd just loaded some Dread Zeppelin, and their version of Black Dog started up. Strange sounds for a spring park scene in the morning, but DZ always makes me smile.

That's when I looked to my right, past the fenced-in baseball diamond where we take the dog to play fetch off-leash.

I saw someone walking, a spring in their step. But, well... they appeared to have no head.

Instead there was a horizontal line of white, and a diagonal one running down into the body as it strode forward. I slowed a bit but, well, I didn't want to stare.

I looked ahead and bit my lip. The Twilight Zone theme played on guitar as DZ continued their intro.

I looked back. The headless figure jauntily bobbed forward, the brilliant white angle, like a 7, protruding outward. Well, I thought. I can't really explain that.

For a moment I wondered if the person was wearing some kind of costume. Some kind of headless man costume. Through the park. In the morning. It was hard to work out which was the less realistic explanation. At the same time, I felt like I'd passed some kind of test. It's hard to know how a person will react when confronted with something that surreal. I like knowing that my mind isn't about to snap like a twig just because I encounter a few headless people on their way to work. I suspect much of this particular thought process is explained by the lack of sleep.

I was tired, and I wasn't wearing my glasses (when I'm not tired I'm 20/20 without), but there was no doubting that I was wide awake, and my vision was sharp.

I paused at the edge of the park, and that's when I saw the figure cross in front of some different scenery. The parts of head above and below the shimmering white
headband showed for an instant, and then blended in again. The sky was overcast, the scene all dark blues and greens. The headband, and perhaps some kind of draping cloth glowed a brilliant white in contrast.

Heh. I continued on.

Later I saw the person board my bus. A woman. Somehow I was expecting a Japanese man. She met my gaze for a moment and I took in the odd headband and scarf arrangement. Then she settled into her seat, and we both headed downtown.