I became conscious of the fact that I was dreaming when she knocked on the door. It was Erykah Badu. No, I don't know her personally...but apparently, the other me does. Either that, or she symbolizes someone in my life that reminds me of her - or maybe an energy that I've made peace with even. Dream language has meanings that extend across numerous dimensions; so one never quite knows.
We hugged and exchanged pleasantries. She asked what I was cooking. I advised that I was just about to heat up the rest of some homemade veggie soup I'd concocted. She grabbed a bowl off the table and replied, "Oh now, you gon' have to share that." We laughed.
My sisters were in the kitchen heating up their portions of the soup as well. For them, I'd prepared various side dishes to choose from too. I encouraged them all to help themselves to either of the two cakes on the table that a good friend had made for me. They did. No hesitation at all, as if they'd been waiting for me to give them the green light so they wouldn't have to ask.
We sat around, eating and talking as women do. Female bonding. Sharing stories and experiences. The energy in the room was strong. My place smelled of food and patchouli. One of my sisters kept butting into a conversation that Badu and I were engaged in. I reminded her that it was rude. She relented before leaving the table, "Sorry...just can't believe she's here...in your apartment."
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. We all ceased our actions and conversations. I was annoyed, "I'm not expecting anybody. Hope the neighbors didn't see you come in [Erykah], and now they're coming for autographs and such. Wanted you to be able to chill in peace."
I shuffled along to the front door, expecting to see a group of nosey birds with cameras poised, anxious to catch a glimpse of the person that they were sure was Badu. I braced myself and got ready to block them from barging into my spot. . . but for naught. I was wrong. Instead, it was him. Again. Popping up as he always does.
I opened the door and smiled in relief. "Oh, it's just you. I thought you were someone else."
"Why?" he looked confused.
"Well. . . because. . . " I signaled to Badu. "Look who's here."
"Ahhh, I see," he walked over to hug her. "How've you been maam? Good seeing you again. What brings you down here?" She explained she had a spur-of-the-moment show at a secret location in Houston and wanted to drop in to see her people first. Apparently, we both were friends with her on the other side.
He looked at me, "Hey you...Didn't mean to pop up like this. Don't be mad. Got off of work early and wanted to talk to you in person about something. You got a sec?"
"Well, I kinda have company right now. Can it wait til later on maybe?" I reminded him.
"Well... I mean... I just thought... well, I guess I should've called first...Can't expect for you to just not have your own stuff going on, right?... " he fumbled.
Badu interjected, "It's okay sis. Me and the girls are gonna go hang out for a while. We'll be back... You stay here and have that talk. It's overdue." She winked and smiled.
They left. I locked the door behind them.
We sat there for a moment in silence. The imagery had become so vivid and life-like that I could almost reach out and touch him and he wouldn't have disappeared, faded to vapor or morphed into something else like most dream figures do. The kicker was that I could clearly smell his scent. It seemed more pronounced now than when he first walked in. It was familiar. Where had I smelled it before? I couldn't recall, and that bothered me.
Finally, he began to speak. It was garbled. I couldn't make it out. Whatever he was saying, it seemed sincere enough. Of all the senses that had suddenly been magnified, why did the one I needed most at this moment decide to fail me?! My hearing grew lower and lower as he spilled his guts to me about whatever it was that he had to express so immediately. His words faded into a whisper.
The divine voice came to me through the rubble - always arriving with its lesson or riddle. It said: Much will be shared, but how do you expect to receive it when you're standing so far away in that fortress. Get out of there. Come closer. . .
Botswana.
His scent grew even stronger. Still no sound. At least I remembered where'd I'd smelled the aroma before at that point. I closed my eyes, swallowed my nervousness, took a deep breath, and inhaled a strong whiff of that signature scent in the dream.
Then, I woke up in reality. . . to a nose bleed.
The universe got jokes 'n whatnot.
- kj
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