Vivid Orleans
/AI Generated image
My journey began as I stepped out of a sleek, black van, reminiscent of an Uber, into the sweltering heat of New Orleans. Dressed in my favorite white button-up shirt and jeans, I was there to revel in the city's famed allure alongside my mother, Kristi, her younger husband, Chris, and my brother, Tyler.
We were to stay in a quaint, two-story wooden apartment nestled at the end of a street, its vicinity graced by a small park. The park was adorned with trees, their branches draped with white beads that nearly kissed the ground, adding a touch of enchantment to the scene.
The building itself was a study in contrasts, with a light blue deck that wrapped around its right side, offering solace in the form of rocking chairs and small tables. The left side stood unadorned, save for its wooden planks that whispered stories of days gone by.
Entering through the wide-open front doors, veiled by transparent rubber curtains, I was greeted by the welcome chill of air conditioning—a stark relief from the oppressive outside heat. The lobby unfolded before me, leading to a hallway lined with doors reminiscent of an old-fashioned hotel, and a polished wood front desk manned by an intriguing figure. His appearance was unique, marked by an age-worn face and a physique that spoke of a life full of stories.
Similar designs of the Motel
As I made my way to my room, located conveniently behind the lobby, the details of the motel began to paint a vivid picture of a place suspended in time. The room itself was a cozy enclave under the staircase, furnished with an antique dresser and a twin bed that promised rest and respite.
As I stepped back into the sweltering heat of New Orleans, leaving the cool refuge of the motel behind, the transition felt almost symbolic--a step from the known into the unknown. Meeting my family amidst the city's vibrant tableau, under the expansive shade of those bead-laden trees, there was a sense of adventure that the heat couldn't dampen. Our search for refreshment led us to a kiosk, a small oasis that promised a brief respite with its lemonade and pretzels. Yet, the ordinary was about to give way to the extraordinary.
The crowd's sudden shift in focus, their eyes drawn upwards and their voices tinged with a mix of fear and wonder, interrupted our moment. They were reacting to something in the sky, something they couldn't explain. "It was a UFO!" some exclaimed. But within my family, raised on a diet of "Star Trek" and the hopeful idealism of the 60s, there was no room for fear, only curiosity. We looked up to see the sky momentarily cleaved open by an unidentified object, leaving us in awe but not alarm. I pondered aloud, half-jokingly, that if this were indeed an alien encounter, it was more a testament to our insignificance than a cause for fear.
Returning to the motel for my forgotten wallet, I encountered a moment that blurred the lines between the mundane and the mysterious. As I entered my room, a waiter, clad in attire that harked back to a different era, approached me. He was a figure out of place, carrying an empty tray that suggested recent service on the deck. His sudden stop at my doorway and the ensuing conversation about the UFO sighting shifted the atmosphere from ordinary to otherworldly. He didn't just ask if I had seen it; he offered knowledge, asking if I wanted to know more about what it was.
This wasn't a casual exchange. His demeanor, marked by a slight Italian accent and an expression of concern, hinted at the gravity of what was to come. His invitation to step closer, which I hesitantly accepted, was the precipice of an inexplicable transformation of our surroundings. The hallway and room spun around us in a disorienting whirlwind, a physical impossibility that yet felt as real as the humid New Orleans air outside.
When the spinning ceased, the reality I found myself in was starkly different. The military-like setting of a small, concrete building, its interior split by colors of authority and function, was a stark departure from the cozy motel. The windows, high and blurred, barely illuminated the room, revealing a scene that was as baffling as it was intriguing. People in lab coats and scrubs busied themselves around a metallic table, seemingly oblivious to the surreal shift that had just occurred. This unexpected transition from a casual encounter to finding myself in a scenario that felt like it was plucked from a science fiction narrative underscored the profound and inexplicable nature of my experience.
Very Similar to the rooms I was now in.
As I acclimated to the abrupt shift in setting, my attention was drawn to the operation unfolding before me. The individuals in lab coats were methodically transferring pill jars from a conveyor belt into mailing boxes, a process that seemed both ordinary and out of place given the context. Compelled by curiosity, I moved closer to inspect one of the jars, its contents and labeling a puzzle I was eager to solve. However, before I could decipher the significance of the jars, a voice diverted my focus.
Standing to my left were two men, distinct in appearance and demeanor from the others in the room. Unlike the uniformity of lab coats and scrubs, they wore casual attire, setting them apart as if they played a different role in this enigmatic scenario. One was notably shorter, with a Hispanic heritage reflected in his features, dressed in a reddish button-up shirt that contrasted with the old fashioned military storage room environment. Beside him, a taller man, his complexion so pale it suggested he rarely saw the sun, offered a visual juxtaposition to his companion.
Their presence marked another layer of mystery, as the taller man's words hinted at a narrative far beyond a simple UFO sighting. "They are accidentally hurting us. They don’t know why yet," he stated, a comment that carried weight and implied a broader, more complex interaction between us and the unknown. This assertion, validated by the nod of his companion, suggested that the phenomena we witnessed had unintended consequences, a revelation that was both alarming and fascinating.
The dialogue between us, though brief, opened a floodgate of questions and theories. The idea that we were unwittingly caught in a situation of cosmic significance, with entities unaware of their impact on humanity, was a concept straight out of speculative fiction, yet here it was, playing out in an inexplicably real context. The conversation was a pivotal moment, offering a glimpse into the depths of the mystery surrounding the UFO sighting and its implications.
Building on the momentum of our intriguing conversation, the atmosphere in the room thickened with a mix of curiosity and unease. The revelation from the two men not only deepened the mystery but also anchored the surreal experience in a narrative that seemed larger than life. Yet, before I could delve deeper into this revelation, the environment shifted once again, propelling me into another phase of this bewildering journey.
Suddenly, I found myself outside, the stark contrast from the indoor setting to the open air startling in its immediacy. The surroundings had changed dramatically; I was now standing across from what appeared to be an old-fashioned, single-story military base constructed from wood. The air here was different--warm, yet with a cool breeze that I could smell the ocean smell suggested a location far removed from the urban warmth of New Orleans. The scent of pine and the sound of nature enveloped me, a stark reminder of how far I seemed to have traveled from the motel and the city streets.
Looking down, the realization that I was no longer in my clothes but instead dressed in a medical gown was jarring. Barefoot and bewildered, I noticed others around me, similarly attired, lined up as if waiting for something or someone. Despite the confusion and fear that seemed to grip them, I felt a strange sense of calm--curiosity, rather than fear, guided my thoughts.
To my right, a figure in military camouflage moved with purpose, his presence underscoring the seriousness of the situation. Yet, it was the sight of a familiar face that truly anchored the experience in a realm of personal significance. A friend, known for her spiritual beliefs and openness to the extraordinary, stood watering a sunflower, as if performing a routine task in this most unordinary of settings.
Yet, amidst this bewildering scene, a figure caught my attention—a friend from my waking life, known for her spiritual openness and belief in the extraordinary. Sandra, watering a sunflower, turned towards me with a smile that seemed to cut through the surrealism of the moment. Her recognition and warm greeting pierced the veil of confusion, grounding me in a sense of belonging and purpose. Though the specifics of our exchange have since faded from memory, the essence of our conversation—a mixture of reassurance, intrigue, and shared wonder—lingers as a testament to the profound connection and understanding we shared in that moment.
The location is on Google Maps. Click the image.
Waking from this vivid dream left me with an overwhelming sense of wonder and a myriad of questions. The clarity and intensity of the experience surpassed any ordinary dream, leaving me to ponder the boundaries between reality and the dream world. The journey through seemingly disconnected scenes—each marked by its own set of characters, settings, and revelations—wove a tapestry of narrative that felt both deeply personal and universally significant.
Reflecting on this dream, years later, during a hike across the Golden Gate Bridge, I was struck by a sense of déjà vu that brought the memories flooding back. The recognition of the landscape, so similar to the military base in my dream, underscored the enigmatic nature of the experience. This moment of connection to a dream long passed served as a reminder of the dream's profound impact on my perception of reality, dreams, and the thin veil that separates the ordinary from the extraordinary.
Despite the vividness of my journey through the streets of New Orleans, a city teeming with life and mystery in my dream, I have yet to set foot in the Big Easy. This dream, so rich in detail and emotion, has left me with a deep longing to experience the real New Orleans, to compare its reality with the city that lives in my imagination.
