A Bad Dream

A Bad Dream

COMM/105

Ted Mierzwicki

August 20, 2005

Word Count 818

A Bad Dream

At 2:30 pm, I was walking out the entrance doors of Oxon Hill high school in Oxon Hill, MD. My friend Kim skipped school today to spend time with Shaun, her new boyfriend, so I had to walk home by myself. As I walked towards my house on Leyte Drive, I noticed a burgundy Mercedes that resembled my stepfathers' car, parked along the curb just a block away. As I was getting closer to the car, I could see a man in the driver seat with a Redskins baseball cap on his huge head just like the one my step dad wore everyday, reading a newspaper. When I got closer to the car, I realize that the man in the car was actually my step dad, Jeffrey. I went over to the car to say "hi", and he told me to "get in". Once I got in the car, he sped off and proceeded to tell me that he was on his way to get some barbeque chicken from "The Grill", and he needed to make a stop to get gas from the gas station on Livingston Rd, which was only five blocks away. I nonchalantly, strapped on my seatbelt and readjusted my seat, although I found it somewhat awkward that he was waiting in his car for me near the school. "Are you hungry?" he asked. "Yes, I want some chicken, cole slaw, and barbeque beans". "Tracy, when are we going out on a date without your mother?" he asked. I looked him as if he was crazy then I nervously said, "I don't know". "Let me ask you something, if an older guy came on to you, what would you do?" When he asked me that, he rubbed his hand on my thigh. My mind started speeding with mixed thoughts of anger, frustration, confusion, fear, betrayal, hatred, and violence. I checked the odometer to see how fast he was driving; it read 42mph. I noticed that my door was unlocked; so I placed my hand on the door, to get myself into position just in case I had to jump out the car while it was in motion. Just when I was about to answer his question, my alarm clock went off at 7:30 am. It was time for me to get up and get dressed for school. I sat straight up in my bed, wiped the sweat off my forehead, and thought to myself, "Damn, what a dream". My mom yelled, "Tracy, come downstairs, breakfast is ready!" I got dressed, brushed my teeth, and headed downstairs to grab some bacon, and a slice of toast to make a quick sandwich. As I was on my way out the door, I told my mom "bye". As I approached the school, I noticed Kim and Shaun standing on the sidewalk hugging and kissing. "Damn is there ever a time when you two aren't touching and loving?" Kim laughed while holding up her hand and said, "Whatever you're just mad because you don't have a man". I had to laugh too because she had a point. A man is the last thing on my mind, after my nasty break up with James six months ago. Our conversation was interrupted by the ringing school bell, and then the principal escorted all the students inside to go to their class. Six hours of math, science, english, band, and lunch wore me out, and I could not wait until I got home. At 2:30, my band class was over. Kim walked over to my locker, "Shaun and I are going to Outback to eat, do you want to go?" I replied to her, "No, I don't have any money, I'm going home to cook me something to eat, ya'll go and have fun. Call me when you get home." Kim said ok, and walked out the door. I gathered my math and science book, stuffed them in my book bag, and headed out the door. As I was walking down the street towards my house, I noticed a burgundy Mercedes parked a block away, that looked just like my step dad's car. "DÐ"©jÐ" vu all over again", I said aloud. Could this really be happening? The man in the car had a Redskins hat on, and he was reading a newspaper, just like the man in my dream. I started feeling nervous and afraid, so I crossed the street to walk on the other side. As I walked passed the car, the man looked up at me and opened his mouth to say, "How are you today?" I was so relieved that he was a stranger, and he was not the man in my dream. However, I wonder why was he parked in that spot? Was he waiting for someone, his stepdaughter?

A Bad Dream

COMM/105

Ted Mierzwicki

August 20, 2005

Word Count 818

A Bad Dream

At 2:30 pm, I was walking out the entrance doors of Oxon Hill high school in Oxon Hill, MD. My friend Kim skipped school today to spend time with Shaun, her new boyfriend, so I had to walk home by myself. As I walked towards my house on Leyte Drive, I noticed a burgundy Mercedes that resembled my stepfathers' car, parked along the curb just a block away. As I was getting closer to the car, I could see a man in the driver seat with a Redskins baseball cap on his huge head just like the one my step dad wore everyday, reading a newspaper. When I got closer to the car, I realize that