Don't fall...

[venta]

If you have no truck with Weird Shit, this post is probably best left alone.


One night a couple of weeks ago, I I dreamed about my dad. I don't remember dreams often, and they rarely make coherent sense, so this one was unusual.

I dreamed my dad was walking through town, when some form of explosion threw him across the market place in front of me. He landed on his back, his neck snapping at a horrible angle. As I ran across to where he'd landed, I told myself repeatedly that there was no point hoping, anyone who landed like that would be dead. I leant over him, and he opened his eyes, telling me he was fine.

On waking, I briefly considered ringing home to see if all was ok with him - then I didn't, as I figured I'd sound like a nutter. When I next spoke to my parents a couple of days later, my dad was just on the mend after a spell in bed - he'd hurt himself falling backwards over some speakers while dismantling a sound rig.

This kind of thing (where this = prophecy or delusion, depending on your take) runs in my family.

However. Here's the problem:

Last night, I dream about a friend of mine. We're at a party, sitting on opposite sides of the room. People are milling about in between, talking and drinking, and I notice that my friend is quietly asphyxiating. No one notices as they slump off the sofa onto the floor.

As a result, I'm kind of worried about them. But a little vague on what to do. This is someone I don't know all that well, I'd hate to fill their inbox with insane ramblings. Even if there is something up, I've no idea if me intruding would be welcome.

(If you're reading, and this sounds like you, drop me a line, huh ?)

Comments

[kneeshooter]

Isn't the point of the Internet to share weirdness? It would be a very special kind of person to take offence surely?

[venta.livejournal.com]

It would be a very special kind of person to take offence surely?

Not take offence, exactly. But some people keep their troubles very close to them, and don't want relative strangers interfering.

Me for instance :) When I'm upset, I'd genuinely rather that the vast majority of people tactfully didn't notice.

Isn't the point of the Internet to share weirdness?

Oh yeah...

Look, weird stuff (http://www.giantmicrobes.com/)

:)

[triskellian]

Depends whether you think knowing things gives you a chance to change them, and also on what you know about said person's attitude to Weird Shit. If they don't believe, you might as well tell them, because it'll just amuse them, and might make you feel better. If they believe a bit, still maybe worth telling them, because they might appreciate the warning. If they're well into it, you might scare the shit out of them, so it might be better not to, but they're also more likely to consider it important to be told stuff like that.

Do you have a mutual good friend who might have a better idea (a) if there's anything up with them, and (b) how they'd react to something like this?

Oh, and since I'm the person I know most likely to asphyxiate, just in case it's me, my lungs aren't currently trying to kill me, and I think I'd like to know stuff like that.

[failmaster.livejournal.com]

I was kind of under the impression most people got random weirdness like this from time to time. If your potentially-asphyxiating friend is reasonably broad minded they're unlikely to take offense at you asking after their wellbeing - you don't have to say 'I dreamt you were suffocating', just get in touch with a I-reckoned-it-was-too-long-since-we-last-spoke type email or phonecall, that way you avoid feeling foolish if they're fine...

[kneeshooter]

I'm clearly managing to miss some important detail and put my foot in my mouth in a most impressive fashion.

Therefore I shall shut up and quietly "coo!" over the Giant Microbes.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Oh, and since I'm the person I know most likely to asphyxiate, just in case it's me, my lungs aren't currently trying to kill me, and I think I'd like to know stuff like that.

Actually, I suspect beckyc is the person I know who's actually most likely to asphyxiate :)

I'd been assuming that all this was metaphorical rather than actual, though - I hope it is! - so rather more likely to be changeable. If someone's actually stopped breathing, I think anything I do is a bit irrelevant.

[venta.livejournal.com]

I'm clearly managing to miss some important detail and put my foot in my mouth in a most impressive fashion.

I don't think so. Seems more likely I'm standing by a molehill going "aaaargh, a mountain!" :)

[triskellian]

... hence 'person I know' rather than 'person you know' ;-) Poor beckyc though :-(

If someone's actually stopped breathing, I think anything I do is a bit irrelevant.
I dunno, noticing and calling an ambulance is pretty helpful, I'm told. You could follow the poor unfortunate around until something bad happens to them just cos they're so nervous with you following them, and then you could call an ambulance? Although maybe that's missing the point somewhere... ;-)

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

As a result, I'm kind of worried about them. But a little vague on what to do.

I hope it's not spoiling all the fun to offer an entirely mundane suggestion, but has it occurred to you that you could get in touch with them without asking whether anything's wrong ? Y'know, just give them a call for a bit of a chat, that sort of thing.

If they want to talk about some baleful thing that's afflicting them then they might take the opportunity. If not... well, if they don't want to talk about it maybe best not to anyway, premonitions or no ?

[venta.livejournal.com]

Y'know, just give them a call for a bit of a chat, that sort of thing.

Er, you know how I said I didn't know them that well...

I think I might be regretting asking about this, though.

[failmaster.livejournal.com]

You expected helpful answers on the Internet? How unreasonable is that? ;)

[venta.livejournal.com]

Good lord, no!

I'm not sure I expected any, actually. I'm feeling a bit foolish now, though :)

[failmaster.livejournal.com]

Given that you seem to average about 36 comments per entry on quiet days it's not entirely unreasonable to expect lots of feedback to even the most rhetorical of questions...

You're just a victim of your own popularity. :)

[condign.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I'd say polite enquiries are perfectly acceptable. Just 'How are you?' should do it.

But, frankly, most people are excited to know that others have had dreams of them, so it's probably not a bad thing if you just said, 'Y'see, I had this strange dream about you...'

[smiorgan.livejournal.com]

If you don't know them, then my guess is you know a friend of theirs quite well, in which case maybe said friend could enquire on your behalf. And I expect said friend to be fairly broadminded.

You could even say "how is person X? I heard they were unwell", the likely response being either "really? Well, I'll just check up on them" or "really? Where did you hear that, it's plainly nonsense, they're in perfect health" to which you reply "oh, my mistake then, glad they're well".

[beckyc.livejournal.com]

Actually, I suspect beckyc is the person I know who's actually most likely to asphyxiate :)

Oooh! Can we make it into one of those categories for awards that happen when you leave school, uni etc. Y'know like "Person most likely to succeed". I could be "Person most likely to asphyxiate". ;-)

[metame.livejournal.com]

I'd go for the mutual friend thing too.

There's always the worry of uncovering someone's weakness and making them feel exposed, but probably worth a quick check that the person is OK.

On a completely different level, it would be good for you to know the predictiveness of your dreams generally and more data cannot help but be good. If this one turns out to a complete false positive you'll be less concerned next time. (and if true, more aware).

[beckyc.livejournal.com]

I was having a chat with some people about prophetic dreams only the other day - wierd, huh? ;-)

The females in my family are also rather good at that sort of thing - our usual trick is to ring each other simultaneously, so neither of us can get through! The scientist in me isn't convinced either way about "wierd" stuff.

One of the things that I find about Those Kinds of dreams is that they're really disturbing when you have them, and you worry about it a lot, but usually things don't turn out exactly like they do in the dream - if you contacted them you'd probably find out that they'd got a bad bout of hayfever or were upset about something, or had choked on some coffee or something like that.

If it makes you feel better, then find a spurious reason to contact them/get a friend to do so. If they are feeling upset about something or ill then it might even help them - it's nice to know that people are thinking about you.

(Out of curiosity, is it only violent/life threatening things that you/your family see?)

[venta.livejournal.com]

(Out of curiosity, is it only violent/life threatening things that you/your family see?)

Nah, mindboggling triviality usually :)