Sea Turtles and red birds

A companion and i are just arriving at Padre Island in an old propeller airplane. We hear a news alert over the radio. A very large herd? pod? of sea turtles has been spotted heading towards the beach. I’m a little nervous because i know how big sea turtles are and have never seen them up close in the wild.

We’re (i don’t know who is with me – i just know there’s somebody at my side) standing on an extremely pristine beach. The sand is very fine, very white (it reminds me of Fort Walton Beach). There’s a park ranger with us, explaining something about the turtles when the turtles ‘land’. There’s dozens of them that i can see. We’re surrounded by them and they’re huge. Some land on their backs and i’m worried that they won’t be able to right themselves. As i start towards one to see if i can help it turn over, it’s flips itself upright, seemingly without any effort at all. They’re so agile! All up and down the beach (a sort of private cove maybe a half mile long) i can see giant turtles flipping themselves upright here and there. I turn back to the park ranger to hear more about the turtles when a large red bird (like a Macaw Parrot) lands on the rangers shoulder. He just keeps on talking like it’s a regular occurrence but i’m thrilled at how big and red the bird is. I’ve never seen such a beautiful shade of red. It’s like a living feathered ruby.

Then we’re inside a kind of island shelter – palm leaves for a roof. Tiki-like. The ranger is still with us but the big red bird is gone. I’m telling my companion about the time i attended a medical seminar in San Antonio and my friend Sharon drove all the way down from Virginia to stay with me. After the seminar ended and i flew home, she continued driving by herself down to South Padre Island (that’s all real-life true). As i’m speaking, a tiny bird, like a hummingbird but completely red, flutters around me. The ranger tells me to hold out my hand and i do. The small bird perches on my outstretched finger and i feel thrilled. I continue telling my companion about how the front plate on Sharon’s car was stolen (in VA car have to have a front and rear license plate). Then the dream morphs.

Sharon is driving up Hwy 60 and a highway patrolman pulls her over for not having a front tag. She explains about her front tag being stolen in Texas. The policeman is sympathetic. He gives her a letter that shows she’s already received a warning in case she gets stopped again by police before she gets home.

Then i woke up.