A Wanted Woman

Imagine my surprise this morning when I opened a letter from a Texas magistrate, informing me there is a warrant for my arrest in the lone star state.

It was very late in 2012. A crisp December morning. I had just spent the night in my car at a rest stop somewhere outside of Amarillo. I wore a tee shirt, 2 sweaters and 2 coats and wrapped myself in a reflective blanket, to stay warm. I was down to my last dollar and did not have a credit card to pay for a night in the local Motel 6. When I awoke, I drove to a McDonald's, piggybacked onto their WiFi and logged into my bank account. A brilliant shaft of light shone down on my HP laptop as I saw $335 had just been deposited in my account, my final paycheck from my last job. I could afford a real breakfast and fill up my tank and continue on my journey West. Huzzah!

Freshly fueled and fed, I steered onto Interstate 40, knowing I would reach my destination, Santa Rosa, NM, by afternoon. I chose Santa Rosa because the town promoted a dry climate with abundant water, in the form of a big lake and something called "The Blue Hole". Originally directed to the town by a State of New Mexico website, advertising several job availabilities, I knew a brighter future lay ahead. Anyhow, I was in high spirits when I cranked up my radio to hear the opening chords to Midnight Oil's "Beds Are Burning" - a rousing anthem to start my drive.

I didn't make it to the second chorus before I saw a Texas State Trooper make a wide U-turn and follow me with flashing lights. SHIT! I couldn't have been speeding!! The very curt and clipped voice of the trooper informed me I was going 85 mph. I protested. I know you shouldn't do that but I knew my 14-year old Honda Civic would not drive that fast. I had tried to get the speedometer up in Tennessee but it only reached 75, no matter how much pressure I put on the pedal. The trooper did not appreciate my attitude. I was handed the ticket and told if I wanted to protest, I had to appear in court within the month. Not very likely, given my financial state. And, it was not very likely I could pay the fine, either.

After I spent a couple of weeks in Santa Rosa, I saw very few opportunities for me. As I have written, I wound up in Taos where a (too) quiet life has unfolded. When my Texas court date arrived, I called the magistrate's office and told them I protested my fine. I asked if there was any proof - radar reports or otherwise, that could be supplied to justify my guilt. I was told there was none - I protested, saying there was no evidence. I hung up the phone and was very angry.I spent the next several months living on about $120 a month, along with food stamps. There was no way I could think about paying a speeding fine I didn't deserve. I guess I forgot about it.

That is, until this morning. Well, thanks to an auto accident that totaled my car (although my Honda still drives), I now have a small cushion in my bank account. I hate to dip into it to pay an undeserved fine to a state known for its phrase "Don't Mess with Texas". I don't know if I have another choice. Maybe the band Midnight Oil really did make me speed. Maybe being right isn't worth the hassle.

Crazy-Ass Dreams

I don't know what I've been doing lately, but my dream life has been out of control!

Last night's dream, for instance, I was hanging out with somebody I briefly knew in the early '90's. He has since become a world-renown music sensation. Anyhow, I was hanging out at his place and he was telling me that some intense storms were headed my way.He advised me to hide out at some motel in Albuquerque.  Apparently, he was trying to get rid of me as he had a date coming over or something. Next thing I knew, I was watching somebody's scull being partially stripped of their skin and electrodes being placed on various parts of the brain. Then, I was sitting in a chair and my skull was having its skin rolled down towards my eyelids. Somebody was poking parts of the brain to see which of my limbs moved. Later, somebody yanked on my leg and screamed "WAKE UP NOW!" And so I did.

Another one had me arguing profusely with another man I used to know. I don't know what we were fighting about but I awoke very upset.

And a third dream had me walking along a highway bridge. Suddenly, a big truck veered out of control and ran me off of the road. I think I awoke mid-fall.

Anybody want to summon the ghost of Sigmund Freud to analyze these?