Tuesday, July 24, 2012

The Boy from New York City

Last night I had another dream about Israeli soldiers, but it left off a little more optimistic than usual.

I don't think the dream started out about Palestine, but as soon as I sensed that I was doing something audacious, the IDF made an appearance. It's like when you're flying in a dream, and suddenly you start doubting yourself, and you start to fall. Gravity thwarts you.

In the dream, I was with some friends, outside at night. We were supposed to rendezvous with someone on a rock.

Then we entered a room and I made room for my friends by standing behind the door. Then I realized they saw something I didn't, so I hid behind the door, knowing they were being caught by something. Of course, when you're hiding from something in a dream, it tends to find you. A soldier saw me behind the door and detained me. I tried to be sneaky and use my phone or iPad to contact someone for help, but it didn't work. Then we were just hanging out with the soldiers on some couches. They were waiting for their superiors, or for the rest of the revolution to blow over. Or something.

Then we were playing ping pong. I was laughing. I wanted them to think I was cool. They were about my age, young adults in uniform.

At one point it crossed my mind to say, "why don't you just defect and join us?" but I didn't say it.

I felt a sense of comraderie, aside from the ideological divide and the fact that I was being held against my will. I remembered what an Israeli girlfriend told me, that she had converted at least five people at a conference to One State/BDS. Now I could say I converted five soldiers to putting down their guns and joining the cause of justice and equality!

I don't remember anything else about the dream. I just got out of bed and clambered upstairs and told my dad about it.

On the way to Tully's, this song came on the radio. I'd been singing it all weekend for some reason, and here it is...

This video cracks me up! My parents went to a lot of shows when we lived in Japan, and apparently it's always a struggle to get the Japanese up and dancing. They actually say, "tatte kudasai," which means, "stand up, please!" Then the rest is history.