Such a long journey in such a short time

J.M.P.'s Dreamland.  Thursday/Friday 25/26 June 2015

I began my journey in Carey's Lane, an old street in the centre of Bristol, U.K.  (It was destroyed in a fit of "urban renewal").

In conversation with me were two United Church of Christ Ministers, the Revd. J. Mary Luti and the Revd. Richard Floyd.

They steered me up towards Old Market Street, but as we passed the "Tatler Theatre" I found myself to be surrounded by a group of woman and men in gorgeous medieval type costumes.

They, in turn, steered me into the Tatler.   There a gorgeous coach with horses awaited me.  I mounted the coach.  Trouble was, the two horses were facing towards, and not away from the coach.

On of  the horses took my left lower arm into his/her jaws.  I was not afraid, it seemed to be a friendly gesture.   We paraded in a circle and reached the entrance of a great banqueting hall where I was supposed to eat.  I saw my two older sisters.

But we never ate.  For my entire family was transported to Eastville Park (a very nice park near where I was raised).  We decided to walk the park's perimeter.

I said  "I am so happy that each of my brothers and sisters are here".  My oldest sister responded "Mum is also very pleased that your boy-friend is here.  She is especially glad that he is taller than you".

We didn't walk the perimeter.  For Mum steered us on to a moving walkway  (such as you will find in many an airport).  It was running in parallel with the overhead M32 motorway  (which truly exists), and moving us towards Eastville Junction (Fishponds Rd, Stapleton Rd, Robertson Road) at about 30 mph.

Mum said, "when we get there the boys  (my younger brothers) will be able to buy their Trojans".

I am not sure if they did, for I found myself walking the streets of a town in the Yemen. I was listening to BBC radio, with a story about an Anglican Priest who was running a free laundry in Yemen.  I turned a corner, and there she was  - a very fine looking 50 something woman, with salt and pepper hair.    She was in an open courtyard, with just one  (upscale)  "Maytag" washing machine.

I promised to get some more  to assist in her missions.

But I never did.  For I found myself in Beirut, Lebanon where I had been appointed to be the Priest in Charge of the Anglican Church there.  I was worrying about where I would live, and whether I would be able to learn the Arabic language.

My worries were un-warranted.    I woke up, safe in my bed in Sarasota.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Tatler on Carey's Lane

Eastville Park


Eastville Junction. In the centre of this photo' is the Eastville Methodist Church; where my parents were married; and where my twin  and I were baptized in 1944


The M 32, an urban highway which ripped right through the blue collar/working class areas of east Bristol. When it was being built I believed that it represented "progress".  These days I think of it as a ghastly urban highway.

All Saints Anglican Church, Beirut,  Lebanon.



Comments

  1. Richard L. Floyd26 June 2015 at 21:55

    As Bob Dylan once said, “I'll let you be in my dreams if I can be in yours!” And (strangely enough) we got a new Maytag washer today, which was a historic day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown27 June 2015 at 09:06

    What a wonderful dream!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shoe insults

Last year I consulted with a local podiatrist: Dr. Robert F Herbold Jr. D.P.M. 4717 Swift Rd., Sarasota , FL – 34231  because I was being bothered with a couple of bunions  (yes I am at that age). I was very impressed with this Doctor.  He agreed that I had bunions, but he ventured that it was much too soon for surgery. (Now there’s a first). Instead he recommended some “arch supports” to relieve the tension for my feet, a tension which was exacerbating the bunions. What’s more -  he told me that he sells these arch supports at the miserly sum of $2.50 each (about 1/5 of the price in the local pharmacies). He is an honest man, and I recommend him to anyone with foot problems. So, a couple of weeks ago, having purchased some new walking shoes, I knew that I needed to buy a couple of new arch supports I took myself to his office. Once there, my mind went blank. I wanted to ask his front desk Clerk if I could buy some “shoe inserts” , as I could not rem...
Read more

It began in Bristol U.K. "A man dies" and "Jesus Christ Superstar"

Image
I well remember the swirling controversy in Bristol, U.K. when a (Presbyterian) Minister the Revd, Earnest Marviin created a ":Rock Opera", called "A Man Dies"  in and for his congregation in the Lockleaze area of Bristol, U.K. Earnest Mrvin I was a sixteen years old member of the Plymouth Brethren Church back in those days, so I most likely disapproved of "A Man Dies" .  We, (the Plymouth Brethren),  disapproved of everything! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had forgotten all about "A Man Dies" until earlier today when saw these pictures on the "Bristol, Then and Now"  Facebook page.   St. James Presbyterian Church, Lockleaze, Bristol  The Bristol Then and Now page includes the following commentary: Lockleaze, Bristol  -  'Jesus Christ Superstar' began at St.James (Presbyterian) Chur...
Read more

The background, the couple, my friends, the wedding ceremony, the Shaykh, the Priest,

Image
The background   I have known the Keller/Bonsey family since 2000 when I became the Rector at St. James's, Cambridge, MA. They (Elisabeth Keller and the Revd. Steven Bonsey with their four children Noah, Sam, Josiah and Annie) had come back to Cambridge from Hawaii where Steve had been the Rector of an Episcopal parish. Steve had just been appointed as a Chaplain at Tufts University (no Sunday morning duties) so the entire family was able to enrich our common life at St. James's - which they did with great love and joy. I count them as friends and have stayed in touch with them since my retirement.  Noah, the oldest son is eloquent in Arabic (he spent a year in Damascus when Syria was a safe place).  He has developed a super career as an analyst of social media in the near East.    Noah worked in Tampa for a while a few years ago, so he and I were a...
Read more