Jim and I are at a lake. Beautiful, hilly, lots of trees and green. And people. A dog that looks somewhat like a Golden Retriever, but smaller, and with long ears like a beagle, comes running up to us. I love this dog! He is so friendly, so sweet, so happy! His fur is very silky soft, and little curly and long. Jim and I are both enchanted by this dog. The dog keeps running off, only to come back. When it's time to leave, the dog follows us and gets in the car with us. We bring him home, he gets along great with our cats. I worry and wonder: why is it that I like this dog, when two dogs recently killed my beloved cat Roswell? But I know this dog had nothing to do with that. Jim and I think of names, what to call him? Silly names that don't sound like names we'd like or think of come to mind: Giddy, Fred, Freddie, etc. I bring the dog to work and everyone loves him. I try to have "Fred" sit, stay, and he wants to please, to do these things but it's obvious he doesn't know what to do. Then I realize my neighbor is the one to talk to, he's a professional dog trainer. We're discussing the dog training course, and Fred is with us, when my neighbor looks at the dog and says, "You do realize he's wearing tags?" I look down and sure enough, Fred is wearing three collars, with lots of tags. I am amazed, how could it be that we missed those things?! I reluctantly look at the tags and see Fred's owners name and phone number. I don't want to call but I know I have to. The number is in California; the woman answers and she is very weird. Seems very combative and not interested in the dog so much. She misunderstands everything I say and then says she wants her husband to talk to my husband. Her husband then starts in on how lousy the water is in Eugene, and how stupid Oregon is, etc. Jim says none of that is true, but that aside, what does that have to do with the dog? They expect us to drive down to California to return the dog. We say no way, but we'll meet you halfway. Then I say "Forget it. They are too much trouble and too stupid, we're keeping the dog. This dog deserves better than them." I take off his collars and Fred seems even happier.
Jim told me (before I told him my dream) he dreamt:
He was somewhere in the woods. He meets an old girlfriend of his, who's showing hims something in the woods, including all her old boyfriends. Jim is wondering what this is all about. Then he meets a man who tells Jim something, and Jim wants to go with him. The man says "If you can keep up with me" and shape shifts into a wolf, dropping to the ground and bounding off. Jim stays where he is, he can't possibly keep up. He doesn't feel afraid or bad, in fact, feels good, watching the wolf bound away.
