While I was sitting in a room on a college campus, five or six college-aged girls took seats around me. We did not know each other; they seemed to just be walking by and had stopped to sit down. I did not speak to any of them because I was engaged in an experiment: I was trying to communicate with people without actually talking to them.

Measuredly, I began making some movements, trying to convey messages; slowly the girls began to understand what I was trying to say and I gradually picked up the pace at which I was trying to communicate – somewhat like charades. Mostly I was trying to improve my acting skills. It seemed that all of us were studying acting and that this was a good way to hone our technique. However, the girls seemed a bit impatient because so little actual communication was taking place. Finally, indicating that they had to leave, they all stood up.

Obviously I now needed to break my silence; I needed to speak. I also stood up and simply asked them if they were ready to leave. They all looked thunder-struck when they heard my voice. They stood still (I could tell they wanted to hear more), then they all sat back down. Remaining standing, I began talking a little about what we had been doing, trying to explain the concept. I said I had had a lot of experience doing this same sort of thing with writing (it seemed I was also involved in communicating somehow like this with writing); but then I corrected myself and I said that I hadn't had a lot of experience – only some experience.

As I talked, I happened to glance out a window. Startled by what I saw, I exclaimed, "Wow! What is that?"

Running ahead of me were the first three or four girls who had run out. Hundreds of other students were also running for shelter. Sirens were blaring – the funnel cloud was moving closer. How fortunate that I had just happened to look out the window when the funnel cloud had been approaching. Still, I did not know where to go. Did any of the surrounding buildings have basements?

To my right flowed a small stream – about two feet wide – walled up on both sides with white stone. Maybe I could lie down in the stream between the walls. No, I would prefer a basement. Finally, to my left – sitting on the side of the hill – rose a large two-story frame house. A second, smaller funnel cloud suddenly appeared in the distance. The first funnel cloud – the larger one – was now only a couple hundred yards from me. Feeling the need to act fast, I hurried toward the house. I had to climb up some difficult stairs; when I had almost reached the house, two small boys were trying to get in the front door; but the door was locked. As soon as I reached the house I would break out the window in the door and force my way in; if I could still not get the door open, I would break out a window in the house. It was legal to break into a house in an emergency like this. I just hoped I made it in time; the funnel was bearing down on me.

Commentary of 02 March 2017

A "thing" in a dream is different from a person inasmuch as it is possible that a person is actually mutually sharing the dream with the dreamer and a thing does not have a living soul. A thing can be the actual thing or the thing can be a symbol for something else. Two immediate questions pop to mind when I think of symbols: 1. where do they come from and, 2. what do they mean?