The Scream

The Dream: I am lying on a bed. I put my head into a long tube and scream. My father comes into the room and asks me if I scream often. “No, I say, “this is the only time I ever screamed.”

“Heart attack,” he says.

“Well,” I say, “you’d better take me to the hospital.”

All dither around. No one seems to grasp the urgency of the situation. Someone asks if I feel any pain, and I say, “Only some tightness in my chest.”

Interpretation: I’ve got my head up my ass (in a long tube). There’s something emotionally painful (attack in the region of the heart) that I’m refusing to see. I need some help (the hospital) in order to get this off my chest.

The Injured Cat

The Dream: A cat has been injured. It has a large incision down its middle. I am lying in bed and it comes over and sits on my chest for comfort. I like cuddling with it and that it’s come to me, but I am concerned its fur will set off my allergies. I notice, however, that the allergies haven’t acted up so far.

Interpretation: I’ve been hurt and need to get something off my chest or it will cause psychological symptoms similar to the physical symptoms caused by my allergy to cat fur (stuffed up, blocked, can’t breathe, etc). At the same time there’s something comfortable about not dealing with it (I like to cuddle with the wounded cat.) On the other hand, the cuddle also implies I’m getting close to the problem.