Ironic hipster census-video editors
Usually when I post dreams, it's because they had something profoundly beautiful or touching that I want to share. This, on the other hand, was just really wacky and weird, albeit incredibly finely detailed.
So yeah, beware of teal deer.
---------------
John had managed to get me a job with the census, and it was my first day. After a morning of -- I'm not sure I remember what, or whether that part actually happened in the dream -- I reported to the offices, where I was to be collect my station number and my first assignment off the cork board. The offices were very hip: think less "standard government operation" and more "Threadless." It was in a large warehouse and there were colorful comfy chairs everywhere occupied by stylish hispter-type workers, none of whom could have been over 40.
(I use "hipster" here merely to describe a mode of fashion, not to describe them as douchebags the way some people would when they use the word. In fact, the ones I spoke to in the dream were all quite nice.)
I was told I had ten minutes to get to my station and begin working, and that despite the laid-back look of the place, this rule was enforced VERY strongly. Luckily I never had to find out what the punishment was for not being there on time, as I arrived at station 31 -- my assigned cubicle -- with plenty of time to spare. I think I made a quick phone call before going.
These cubicles, by the way, were roomy, sparse and very high-tech. They consisted of two long dark blue tables on opposite walls with room enough for two stations at each table (so four persons per cubicle). Each station was merely a desk chair facing a pull-out drawer under the table, and a phone. Then there were the walls: both of the two walls the desks faced were large flexible plastic screens.
I took my seat and nodded politely to the worker down the table from me, a tall woman with very short bleach-blonde hair who was wearing a long skirt. I set to work reading my introductory packet, which was printed on newsprint and, like everything else in the place, very colorful. Basically my job consisted of calling people, confirming their primary e-mail address, annual salary, and... one other detail I can't remember. Some people only had an e-mail listed, no name. I took the time to ask about some procedural things I was unsure of to the people in the cubicle who'd been there longer than me.
Yes, I actually stopped in the middle of the dream and asked my dream-cubicle-mates for details about how to perform my dream-job. This dream was in ridiculous real time; I don't think there was a single skip until after the office scene.
There was even a reason for the screens: when you called someone, a file photo of them would show up on the screen. AND when I opened my drawer to see what was in there I found, sitting atop the random paperwork, a Super Nintendo with Mario Kart in it.
At some point John showed up to say "hi" and see how I was getting on. In fact, it seemed there was a lot of roaming about and gossiping going on in these offices: two of my cubicle-mates were chattering about someone they both knew who'd just had a baby (either the woman or the baby was named "Anne"). All this seemed very loose and free, not at all covert: apparently it didn't matter what you did once you were at your station, so long as you got there on time.
It was only 2:30, but John was done with his work and I was feeling extremely tired, but apparently that was okay since the boss didn't check assignment completions until right before he went on vacation, and he was doing that in a few days. I'd have time to catch up with the assignments I hadn't done yet.
We were on our way out, headed for the elevators, when the supervisor started shouting, "SHE HAS TO WATCH THE VIDEO!" He seemed really excited about this and started making a ruckus. "She has to watch the video and get the paper!" John led me over to the center of the offices and a plush leather yellow chair that was somewhat raised off the ground and facing a smaller screen. He didn't explain, but he did say he'd been disappointed when he himself didn't get the paper, since that "basically explains the whole deal."
I sat in the chair and faced the screen. The video -- narrated by Liam Neeson -- started by basically repeating everything I already knew, and then went into a thing about the film "Brazil." I'm... not sure if the imaginary video editors were being ironic or what point they were trying to make, but... okay. At some point there was a shot of Sam Lowry in a red mecha-type machine (some subconscious blending of "Brazil" and "District 9", perhaps), and the music over that was... well, in the dream I recognized it as the theme from the movie, but it wasn't. It had a Queen-ish quality and the person singing it was Johnathan Pryce himself.
I realized then that at some point, the chair had turned upside-down. The screen went into yellow-red-white abstract patterns and the music crescendoed into instrumental rock-and-roll as the chair began to spin and gyrate like a shopping-mall motion ride. This went on for a while and then the video was over.
I honestly can't remember whether I ever got the infamous "paper," but I do remember that after that there was a time-skip. We were all on a train, very plain like a CTA el train, heading, presumably, home. The supervisor was talking about how Liam Neeson had played a role in "Brazil," and I argued with him because I was sure he was confusing him with Robert DeNiro. Meanwhile outside, I saw a large grey demonic-looking creature descend from the sky and land on the outside of the train. It looked through the window with its translucent eyes and winked at me before heading toward the door.
I didn't feel afraid -- mostly confused, as I wondered what that had to do with anything -- and then I woke up.
So yeah, beware of teal deer.
---------------
John had managed to get me a job with the census, and it was my first day. After a morning of -- I'm not sure I remember what, or whether that part actually happened in the dream -- I reported to the offices, where I was to be collect my station number and my first assignment off the cork board. The offices were very hip: think less "standard government operation" and more "Threadless." It was in a large warehouse and there were colorful comfy chairs everywhere occupied by stylish hispter-type workers, none of whom could have been over 40.
(I use "hipster" here merely to describe a mode of fashion, not to describe them as douchebags the way some people would when they use the word. In fact, the ones I spoke to in the dream were all quite nice.)
I was told I had ten minutes to get to my station and begin working, and that despite the laid-back look of the place, this rule was enforced VERY strongly. Luckily I never had to find out what the punishment was for not being there on time, as I arrived at station 31 -- my assigned cubicle -- with plenty of time to spare. I think I made a quick phone call before going.
These cubicles, by the way, were roomy, sparse and very high-tech. They consisted of two long dark blue tables on opposite walls with room enough for two stations at each table (so four persons per cubicle). Each station was merely a desk chair facing a pull-out drawer under the table, and a phone. Then there were the walls: both of the two walls the desks faced were large flexible plastic screens.
I took my seat and nodded politely to the worker down the table from me, a tall woman with very short bleach-blonde hair who was wearing a long skirt. I set to work reading my introductory packet, which was printed on newsprint and, like everything else in the place, very colorful. Basically my job consisted of calling people, confirming their primary e-mail address, annual salary, and... one other detail I can't remember. Some people only had an e-mail listed, no name. I took the time to ask about some procedural things I was unsure of to the people in the cubicle who'd been there longer than me.
Yes, I actually stopped in the middle of the dream and asked my dream-cubicle-mates for details about how to perform my dream-job. This dream was in ridiculous real time; I don't think there was a single skip until after the office scene.
There was even a reason for the screens: when you called someone, a file photo of them would show up on the screen. AND when I opened my drawer to see what was in there I found, sitting atop the random paperwork, a Super Nintendo with Mario Kart in it.
At some point John showed up to say "hi" and see how I was getting on. In fact, it seemed there was a lot of roaming about and gossiping going on in these offices: two of my cubicle-mates were chattering about someone they both knew who'd just had a baby (either the woman or the baby was named "Anne"). All this seemed very loose and free, not at all covert: apparently it didn't matter what you did once you were at your station, so long as you got there on time.
It was only 2:30, but John was done with his work and I was feeling extremely tired, but apparently that was okay since the boss didn't check assignment completions until right before he went on vacation, and he was doing that in a few days. I'd have time to catch up with the assignments I hadn't done yet.
We were on our way out, headed for the elevators, when the supervisor started shouting, "SHE HAS TO WATCH THE VIDEO!" He seemed really excited about this and started making a ruckus. "She has to watch the video and get the paper!" John led me over to the center of the offices and a plush leather yellow chair that was somewhat raised off the ground and facing a smaller screen. He didn't explain, but he did say he'd been disappointed when he himself didn't get the paper, since that "basically explains the whole deal."
I sat in the chair and faced the screen. The video -- narrated by Liam Neeson -- started by basically repeating everything I already knew, and then went into a thing about the film "Brazil." I'm... not sure if the imaginary video editors were being ironic or what point they were trying to make, but... okay. At some point there was a shot of Sam Lowry in a red mecha-type machine (some subconscious blending of "Brazil" and "District 9", perhaps), and the music over that was... well, in the dream I recognized it as the theme from the movie, but it wasn't. It had a Queen-ish quality and the person singing it was Johnathan Pryce himself.
I realized then that at some point, the chair had turned upside-down. The screen went into yellow-red-white abstract patterns and the music crescendoed into instrumental rock-and-roll as the chair began to spin and gyrate like a shopping-mall motion ride. This went on for a while and then the video was over.
I honestly can't remember whether I ever got the infamous "paper," but I do remember that after that there was a time-skip. We were all on a train, very plain like a CTA el train, heading, presumably, home. The supervisor was talking about how Liam Neeson had played a role in "Brazil," and I argued with him because I was sure he was confusing him with Robert DeNiro. Meanwhile outside, I saw a large grey demonic-looking creature descend from the sky and land on the outside of the train. It looked through the window with its translucent eyes and winked at me before heading toward the door.
I didn't feel afraid -- mostly confused, as I wondered what that had to do with anything -- and then I woke up.