Do you ever dream about chess? Here’s a typical dream I had a couple nights ago.
I am at a chess tournament in Las Vegas, and eating lunch at Harrah’s casino. The tournament is in another hotel, and suddenly I realize to my horror that (of course) it is time for the next round to start, and I am going to be late. I quickly leave my table and head for the exit.
This part of the dream takes a long time, because as you know casinos are very large and the pathways through them are meandering. Plus, I am riding in a wheelchair (don’t ask why, I don’t know) with a maximum speed of about 2 mph, and I have to get out of it and lug it with me every time I get to a staircase or an escalator. But after going up and down and over and around, I finally get to the front desk, and for some reason I have to stop and pay for something. (Maybe the wheelchair rental?) I get out my blue American Express card and put it on the counter … and then it suddenly hits me that I never paid for my lunch!
There are actually two American Express cards on the counter, but I quickly pick up the one I think is mine and head back to the café. Naturally I have to retrace my entire path, around and over and down and up. I get back to the café, find the waitress (she is black, with long curly hair) and apologize profusely, saying I didn’t mean to run out on the check. She of course remembers who I am, rings up the bill, and I hand her the credit card.
She swipes the card and says (even though this never happens in real life), “124 Clares Street?†I’m barely listening, and I say, “Yes … NO!†Obviously I picked up the wrong credit card at the front desk. I tell her to take the credit card and return it to the rightful owner, and I will go back to the front desk and reclaim mine, if I can. Meanwhile, I’m thinking that I there is no way that I can do this in time, and I am going to forfeit my chess game. “What a nightmare!†I think. And that’s when it hits me … it IS a nightmare, and I wake up.
Somehow my chess dreams never involve brilliant queen sacrifices leading to mate in seven. In fact, I don’t think I ever get to play a single move in them — instead, it’s all about crazy obstacles keeping me away from the chess board.
