Nightmares from childhood

After an exchange with Sarcasmo about nightmares that stay with you, I've been thinking about the first recurring nightmare I had when I was about 6 years old. I had it fairly regularly for maybe a year.

So anyway, in the dream, I was with a schoolgroup and we had walked down the road to an "antique store" -- a dark dusty house full of furniture and accessories. After a brief tour by the host (a creepy looking very old man), I was dawdling at the back of the tour, looking at the umbrella stand and the intricate umbrellas and canes standing inside. When I looked up, I was alone -- I had been left behind.* Even the host was nowhere to be found. So I went outside (the doorknob was very high and hard to turn but I managed somehow) and then couldn't remember which way we came, so I turned and walked down the road and ended up across from Mayfair Mall** At this point in the dream, my heart was beating so fast and I was breathing so heavy from fear that I would wake up.

It's amazing to me that this dream is still perfectly vivid in my mind. If I had the cash I would make a film so I could share it with y'all.


*Hmmm. Abandonment issues ya think? Likely from my Mother's constant scolding when I was dawdling, "If you can't keep up, you'll get left behind!"
**Many many years ago there was a gas station at the front corner of Mayfair Mall, where the Macaroni Grill now stands. The gas station roof (or sign?) had these bizarre multicoloured balls --kind of like giant whiffle balls -- that spun in the wind, and that is the image that stuck in my 6-year-old head to represent the mall. If I can find a picture, I'll post it.