I had another heart-wrenching dream last night. This one didn’t involve missing either of my children to the point of tears, but it was devastating nonetheless.
In the dream, I got out of bed and immediately headed over to Bed, Bath and Beyond, where I picked out a shower curtain. The only one they had left was a very ugly dark red, which, right there, qualified the dream as a nightmare.
When it was my turn to pay, I held the red shower curtain in my arms instead of putting it down on the counter.
The cashier looked at me and then at her screen as I handed her my credit card.
“I’m sorry but you can’t shop here anymore,” she said.
“What? Why not?” I asked.
“You’ve been banned.”
“Why? I asked, horrified. “Did I accidentally steal something?” I asked, checking all of my pockets.
“No, you’re not allowed to hold your items. You have to put them down on the counter. Next!” she yelled to the customer in line behind me.
“Wait. Seriously? You can just ban someone for making a mistake?”
“Apparently. Next!!”
I walked out of there wondering how I would go on living. I could always go to Bloomingdale’s or even abc carpet for towels, but what if I needed a shower buddy or one of those pillows with arms? How would anyone but Bed and Bath know what I was even talking about?
I walked home thinking the planet had changed into something with intolerable, horribly oppressive and unfair rules. I put on my face mask and gloves, and got back into bed.