The Big, Black Dog

MORNING OF DECEMBER 18, 2009

Rather than a full-fledged dream, this was one of those "visions" you have when floating in that area between waking and falling asleep:

I was walking on a piece of property, a huge lawn, near a church. There was a busy highway to the side. On the shoulder of that road, a large, black dog was rooting through some trash. I was terrified that the dog would be hit by one of the many passing cars, so I got its attention and called it over to me.

The dog ambled over, amiably enough. I began to pet it. Suddenly, some small breed of little "yip-yip" dog came running up out of nowhere. I braced myself, not knowing how the two dogs would interact.

When I reached down to pet the newly arrived dog, the big dog suddenly bit my hand, waking me.