These Nights

by: Tracy Dang

1

     I had a dream. One minute I was in my pajamas in bed, and the next I was outside my home. Our stuff was being removed: kitchen supplies, our couch, then our table. Then it was the stuff in mom and dad’s room: Their dresser, their clothes, and their bed. Mine was last: My books, my backpack, even my stuffed rabbit. The three of us watched as our life was placed on the side of the road by three strangers. Nobody around came out to help, but I could tell that they were watching too. Watching with a roof still over their heads, hoping that they won’t be next.

 

2

     I had a dream that I was riding the bus home from school. I was sitting in the first seat, the one behind the bus driver, and reading a book. It was a book that I’ve been waiting to check out, so I was excited. I had my backpack on my lap, reading as much as I could before having to get off. Midway through the fifth or seventh page, I heard snickering. I ignored it and thought nothing of it until the snickering turned to laughter. Then from laughing to pointing. And the pointing turned to poking and punching. My body twisted and turned, and I tried to throw a punch back. I missed. Not so much the punch, but my chance. They were getting off the bus, not knowing they had left me in the same condition that I was in before they touched me.

 

3

     I once had a dream on an autumn night. It was Halloween, and gram and I were walking to a nicer neighborhood down the street to trick-or-treat. We held hands, my right in her left. I dressed up as a cowgirl thanks to one of mom’s old hats and a flannel from dad with one-too-many spins in the dryer. Gram had just come home from her shift at the diner and was still wearing her white-collar shirt and apron.

     “That’s not a very convincing costume,” I said as we waited to cross the street.

     “Oh yeah? At least I work as a waitress. What about you, partner?” she joked.

     “Yeah, but isn’t the whole point of a Halloween costume to be something that you’re usually not?”

     “Hmm? You got me their pumpkin.”

     Then she laughed, which always made me laugh too. Then the sign told us to walk, and we did. Laughing all the way. Then a car raced down the street and made a sharp right turn. Right as we were about to finish crossing the street.

 

4

     There was this dream I had. I was standing on top of a mountain in the middle of the night. For once, the stars were visible in the sky, and the world was silent. And it felt peaceful. And I felt free. And so, I screamed.

 

5

     I had a dream. I was in a white dress. It had floral details and a long train. It made me feel nervous but excited when I looked at the mirror in front of me. Then I was walking, this time with mom and dad on either side of me. There was someone at the other end of the long walk. I recognized them. I knew them. Then realized I loved them. I saw them cry, then felt myself doing the same.

 

     Then it was dark, and I was in bed. But it wasn’t my own. And I was sweating. On my forehead, in my armpits, on my chest. Then I felt a weight being pulled out of me, and a second later, that same weight was placed on top of me. And my world filled with the sounds of tears being wept all around.

 

     Then it was dark again, but this time it was outside. There were lights from where I sat, a lot of lights strung around a tree with other decorations. There was me, my wife, my son. Mom and dad. All the aunts, uncles, and cousins. My nieces and nephews. There were some neighbors and some friends. There were all of us, and some more. Then we ate and played games and laughed at the games that we played. Everyone watched as the kids played flip the turtle, the turtle being Uncle Frank. We laughed until we thought we couldn’t laugh anymore. Then mom covered her mouth and shook her head, saying, “This must be a dream.”