This dream log will describe the shortest dream I've
ever had. Despite the oft-made point that all dreams
(at least the ones you remember when you wake up) only
last a few seconds at most, I'm talking about subjective
time here. And despite the other oft-made point that
the dream just before you wake often incorporates or
is inspired by something happening in the real world,
this one didn't seem to be.
The subjective duration of this
dream was about four to
five seconds. Some people say there's no sound
in their dreams; this one of mine had nothing else. It consisted
of this:
My cell phone is ringing.
Now, I have my cell phone set to ring only one time when a
call is coming in. The ringtone that it played in the
dream is one that is assigned to only one person. While
I usually answer my phone when it rings, I always
jump when I hear that particular sound. It is
a clip from the Russian dance, part of
the Nutcracker Suite. Awaking from my dream,
I jumped up from bed and raced still drowsy to the kitchen,
where I found that not only was the phone not ringing, but
there had been no call. I then realized that the ring that
I'd heard had played only seven notes, about half of what
the phone actually plays when he calls.
Was this dream a wakeup call telling me to change
my life? Was it a warning from Atropos that a forty six
year old decision made by Lachesis was to come to fruition?
Did it mean absolute nothing?
Beats me. I don't believe in any of that stuff.