|
BB2631 : A Dream Within A Dream?
Monday 16th October 1961
|
My name is Donald and I am 14½ yrs old. I live in Stockport.
On Saturday I went camping with my friend
Geoffrey. He is doing his Duke of
Edinburgh award and thought I would like to go with him. We took the train to Edale where we pitched
tent.
Yesterday morning we set off to
climb Kinder Scout. Near Kinder
Downfall, we encountered a group of people dressed in white robes, stood in a
circle, chanting. I think they were
Druids.
|
|
Shortly after that, Geoffrey
wandered off to the side of the hill and we lost sight of him. Tony and I decided to wait where we were
whilst Stan ran for miles trying to spot him, without success. The others had wandered on.
|
|
A little further up the hill, we came across two
sink holes, Ingleborough being limestone country.
Strangely, both were full of water.
A couple of cavers came by and explained that, at this time of year, they
often get blocked.
They were right; I
put my hand down one of the sinks and pulled out a lot of fallen leaves, after which the water ran away.
When we reached the mountain hut we were pleased to
find that Geoffrey and the others were all there.
|
I had my photo taken near Striding
Edge then cycled home, proud that I managed to climb
Lancashire Hill in top gear.
On turning into Wharfedale Road, I was surprised
to find that it had been gated. I was in
the back of the car so got out to open the gate. I could see there was another gate at the bottom
of the road so I decided to run to it rather than get back in the car. I was stopped by a man who said his name was
Nigel Forage or something like that. He
claimed he had been walking with us but he was immaculately dressed in a smart
blue suit with no mud stains so I didn’t believe him and ran on.
As I turned into Harrogate Road, I saw my niece,
Amanda, who hadn't been born when I left home but was now about my age. She
was waving to me, asking where had I been and saying that tea was ready. I went into our house and said hello to my mum
and dad. I explained that I was very
tired and wanted to go to bed, which I did.
I had the most remarkable dream. I had time travelled over sixty years. I found myself on a Mediterranean island
where it was pouring down with rain .....
..... whilst my friends back home in the Lake
District were enjoying adventures without me.
Just what those adventures were is a bit of a puzzle- you know how it is
with dreams, how one thing merges into another.
There was a deer park with two men telling tales about
it but then it changed into Wordsworth writing about a Kentmere bog. Or was it a nearly naked man near
Arnside? Could it have been his rucksack
that was found near Sawrey or was Mike going cuckoo? All very strange.
I woke to find my mother shaking me. I tried to tell her about my dream but she
told me to save it for the evening. I must
get up or I would be late for school. I
had to cycle one-legged as I had damaged my right knee in the crash I had had
yesterday, descending too fast on a wet, winding, steep descent near Buxton. Foolishly I had touched my rear brake and
woosh, down I went.
Our English master is a nice man. I told him
about my strange dream. “What I want you
to do for homework,” he said, “is to write about your weekend. Then, over the next few days, I want you to
think about your dream and write short stories about what happened as if
you were one of the people involved.”
This, Sir, is my essay about what actually happened last
weekend. The stories will follow shortly,
just as you asked.
Donald, Monday 16th October 1961
|
