Crazy Dream Alert - I'm Lovin' It

So, last night's REM cycle transported me to a nondescript McDonald's counter with my family and numerous other people who I don't recall (except for one, who will be named in due time). My family went through the line, and I was up last, but for some reason I was paying for myself. This should have been the first clue that it was a dream; if I'm with my family, I'm mooching off my parents for as many free meals as possible. So, I get to the counter and order the 2 hamburger combo, which in my mind should cost about 5 dollars. The guy rings it up and announces, "That will be $10.05." I give him a feigned confused look, thinking he will realize his mistake of his own accord, but he doesn't. So, as politely as I can, I tell him that there is no way that the 2 hamburger meal could cost that much. He rings it up again and gets the same number. I again refuse to pay this much. He now realizes that something is indeed not right and goes to get his manager to help him figure out the register.

At this point, people around me begin noticing problems with their food. Sarah Johnson (my upstairs neighbor for those of you who don't know her), apparently very angry about the quality of her food, takes her tray with two pieces of fried chicken (my dream-mind is apparently confused by fast food menus) and proceeds to walk back into the McDonald's kitchen and disgustedly throw away the meal into the kitchen garbage can. Man, she did not look happy. I, however, can't hear what's going on because I am separated by a glass partition of some type.

Finally, the manager comes back, rings it up, and gets it down to $7. In my dream-mind, I still think this is too much to pay (maybe it's an airport McDonalds?), but I'm ready for this whole interaction to end. Yet, as I pay, the original employee takes my money, looks seriously into my eyes, and asks, "Can we pray?" Before I can answer or even give him a look that tells him this is a weird inquiry, he breaks into prayer: "Dear Lord, we realize that there have been mistakes made today, and we are truly sorry...". As he is praying, my dad comes in and must see the incredulous look on my face (because even in my dream I'm thinking, "This prayer is really bizarre, and I don't want to be standing at this counter. I'm in no need of reconciliation with you or God; I'm not even mad, though now I'm very ready to leave the counter and eat the two hamburgers and fries growing cold on my tray.) and starts laughing, and that of course makes me start laughing, and I spend the next few minutes of the dream trying to hold it together so this earnest Christian McDonald's employee can finish his prayer...

At that point, I woke up and knew I had experienced a great dream. Every time I've thought about it during the day I have either laughed out loud or at least smiled at the craziness of it.

What does not put a smile on my face: the Minnesota Vikings. Donovan McNabb looked terrible in the loss to San Diego. It was almost worse that we took a ten point lead at the half because it made the inevitable collapse all the more painful. It looks like it will be another long season for Minnesota sports fans.

Tomorrow I'm leading my first ever pseudo-small group! I think it's going to be a really good time and hopefully even interesting/spiritually nourishing. Well, that's all I've got for today. Stay tuned.