Nightmare

I had a nightmare the night before last. Patrick decided he wanted to visit downtown Minneapolis at 3 a.m. I accompanied him on the drive, though I didn't think it was a good idea. There was something scary downtown – maybe a serial killer. I don't remember that part of the dream.

Anyway, the downtown was completely dark – no lights in the buildings, no streetlights, no stop lights. There was no traffic, nothing except the completely dark buildings and streets.

We started home. Somehow we ended on a frontage road, though there was a broad parkway right in front of us, brightly lit by streetlights and with some traffic. Patrick parked the car facing the parkway. There was a heavily wooded park behind us, completely dark and frightening to me.

I begged Pat to get on the parkway and drive home. He didn't think there was a problem, and he didn't want to go yet. I remember locking the car doors, but I think the windows were partly open. I began to hear noises in the park, men's voices and the sound of a dog.

Pat decided to make dog noises in reply, which he did. I was getting more and more frightened, desperate to get away.

Then something the men said made me realize that they were policemen, and I woke up.

I have not a clue what this dream means, if anything. I can't imagine Patrick behaving this way.

In any case, it's staying with me, which most of my dreams do not. I can still see the dark downtown and the bright parkway that we can't seem to reach.