ffronted.

    “Firstofall,wedoopeopledrivingluxurycards.Sedly,Ineverselltopeoplewearingdiamondneckces!That’smyrule.WhenIsayIdon’tsell,Ijustdon’tsell!”Samanthabecameangryandthoughtthesalespersonwasreallyunreasonableandirrational.ShelookedatheroncemoreandrealizedthatitwasAmalia,whomsheknewwasaffectedbyAlzheimer’sdisease.Shedidnotwanttuewiththeoldwoman.IfAmaliawashere,couldDimitribefaraway?Sosheturnedarounddegtoleavefirst.

    7

    OnhearingMegginn’swords,alleyesturoAmalia.Shewasgreatlyembarrassedandmumbledunfortably,

    “Idon’tremember.Idon’tremember.Itmayhavehappened,butIhavenomemoryofit.”EveryoneknewAmalia’sdispositionwasratheroutoftheordinary,andherageandillnesscausedgreatmemoryloss,sotheydidnotpursuetheianymore.

    “Ithinkit’salmisuanding”saidDimitritoMegginn.“TellSamanthatodresscasuallyandbringherheresomeothertime.ExpintoAmaliawhosheissotherewouldhermisuanding.’Megginnnoddedheragreement.Dimitritinued,

    “It’sveryte.Gobaeandgotobedimmediately.YoumustgobacktotheKingdomofDreamsanddealwiththeplicatedbusihere.Thentomorr,youmustbeatWorldBankandtakecareofthingshere.Youneedalotofeodobothjobs.”TheyallwalkedMegginntothebackdoor.DimitriassignedMarkandLaverofollowMegginnintheircar,tobethereforherincaseheroldbeigejalopybrokedownagain.Markansweredinaloudvoice,

    “Sure.Noproblem.Youwaopushthecarfrombehind?Noproblem.Ihaveenoughmuscle.”MegginnkissedDimitrionthecheekandwavedgoodbyetoeveryoanttoleave.Theintotheddroveoff.

    YearsofexposuretotheelementshadmadesleepingoutdoorsaseaturetoDimitri.ItwasalreadyteintothenightafterhesawMegginnoff,sowheneveryonehadsettledforthenightahingquieteddowouttothebackyardandydownontheloungechair,chimselfwithanoldjacket.Theskyabovewashisopyandthegroundbelowwashisbed,carefreeanduered.HewasveryhappytohavemetMegginnbyactoreettoday,butsomehowhisheartwassmittenbyaslightpangofmencholyaswell.Hethought,

    “HowfaractuallyismyfarawayKingofDreamsfromtheearth?ThesetwoarenotreallyseparatedbyspaddistanceasItravelfreelybetweenthemwhenthemoodtakesme.Ifdreamsayarenotreallydividedbyspaddistaheynaturallyhavenottimedifferentialseither.inally,Iwaoseekoutaformyself,apcewhereIfindrefugeandasylumfromthedangersofthemundaneworld,apcewhereIescapetoatwill.ThatiswhyIestablishedtheKingdomofDreams.Butnow,itseemsthisKingdomisnotasafehavenafterall.ThereistheoppressionfromZeusfromonhighandthehiddendangerfromtheprimitivetribeswhoarecreepingthreateninglynearerandnearer.WhereImovemyKingdomofDreamsandmynumeroussubjectsto?Whereisthepcethathasnosorrow,onlyhappiness?Istheresuchaptheuniverse,wherethereisonlypeace,harmony,tranquilityandbrightness?Idon’tknow.Itseemedthattoomanydreamsbringonlysorrowandnightswithoutdreamswouldbepreferable.Fortonight,Ionlyhopetohaveanightwithoutdreams.”

    Bluewavesrockedthewideexpaheke.Initscrystalclearwater,argewhitefishcouldbeseenfloatingwiththemovementsofthewater.Shewasreminisgabouthowsheheldtwolittlepeopleinhermouthandswamagainsttheragingcurrenttotakethemtotheoppositeshorewherethegoldpacewas.Amidthedeafeninghewi

ffronted.

    “Firstofall,wedoopeopledrivingluxurycards.Sedly,Ineverselltopeoplewearingdiamondneckces!That’smyrule.WhenIsayIdon’tsell,Ijustdon’tsell!”Samanthabecameangryandthoughtthesalespersonwasreallyunreasonableandirrational.ShelookedatheroncemoreandrealizedthatitwasAmalia,whomsheknewwasaffectedbyAlzheimer’sdisease.Shedidnotwanttuewiththeoldwoman.IfAmaliawashere,couldDimitribefaraway?Sosheturnedarounddegtoleavefirst.

    7

    OnhearingMegginn’swords,alleyesturoAmalia.Shewasgreatlyembarrassedandmumbledunfortably,

    “Idon’tremember.Idon’tremember.Itmayhavehappened,butIhavenomemoryofit.”EveryoneknewAmalia’sdispositionwasratheroutoftheordinary,andherageandillnesscausedgreatmemoryloss,sotheydidnotpursuetheianymore.

    “Ithinkit’salmisuanding”saidDimitritoMegginn.“TellSamanthatodresscasuallyandbringherheresomeothertime.ExpintoAmaliawhosheissotherewouldhermisuanding.’Megginnnoddedheragreement.Dimitritinued,

    “It’sveryte.Gobaeandgotobedimmediately.YoumustgobacktotheKingdomofDreamsanddealwiththeplicatedbusihere.Thentomorr,youmustbeatWorldBankandtakecareofthingshere.Youneedalotofeodobothjobs.”TheyallwalkedMegginntothebackdoor.DimitriassignedMarkandLaverofollowMegginnintheircar,tobethereforherincaseheroldbeigejalopybrokedownagain.Markansweredinaloudvoice,

    “Sure.Noproblem.Youwaopushthecarfrombehind?Noproblem.Ihaveenoughmuscle.”MegginnkissedDimitrionthecheekandwavedgoodbyetoeveryoanttoleave.Theintotheddroveoff.

    YearsofexposuretotheelementshadmadesleepingoutdoorsaseaturetoDimitri.ItwasalreadyteintothenightafterhesawMegginnoff,sowheneveryonehadsettledforthenightahingquieteddowouttothebackyardandydownontheloungechair,chimselfwithanoldjacket.Theskyabovewashisopyandthegroundbelowwashisbed,carefreeanduered.HewasveryhappytohavemetMegginnbyactoreettoday,butsomehowhisheartwassmittenbyaslightpangofmencholyaswell.Hethought,

    “HowfaractuallyismyfarawayKingofDreamsfromtheearth?ThesetwoarenotreallyseparatedbyspaddistanceasItravelfreelybetweenthemwhenthemoodtakesme.Ifdreamsayarenotreallydividedbyspaddistaheynaturallyhavenottimedifferentialseither.inally,Iwaoseekoutaformyself,apcewhereIfindrefugeandasylumfromthedangersofthemundaneworld,apcewhereIescapetoatwill.ThatiswhyIestablishedtheKingdomofDreams.Butnow,itseemsthisKingdomisnotasafehavenafterall.ThereistheoppressionfromZeusfromonhighandthehiddendangerfromtheprimitivetribeswhoarecreepingthreateninglynearerandnearer.WhereImovemyKingdomofDreamsandmynumeroussubjectsto?Whereisthepcethathasnosorrow,onlyhappiness?Istheresuchaptheuniverse,wherethereisonlypeace,harmony,tranquilityandbrightness?Idon’tknow.Itseemedthattoomanydreamsbringonlysorrowandnightswithoutdreamswouldbepreferable.Fortonight,Ionlyhopetohaveanightwithoutdreams.”

    Bluewavesrockedthewideexpaheke.Initscrystalclearwater,argewhitefishcouldbeseenfloatingwiththemovementsofthewater.Shewasreminisgabouthowsheheldtwolittlepeopleinhermouthandswamagainsttheragingcurrenttotakethemtotheoppositeshorewherethegoldpacewas.Amidthedeafeninghewi