Most dreams I've remembered for the past seven years or so follow the same formula. I dream that I am in some place from when I was much younger, (high school, my dormitory at university, the house I grew up in, etc.). I have to interact with someone somehow - speak to a classmate, send an email to an acquaintance, whatever.

But I left all these things behind because I couldn't stand them. The people I must speak to are always the annoying ones, the emails I must write are always to people I hate.

I think“Haven't I already done this? I already left this behind. I don't want to do this any more.” I wonder if I'm dreaming, but I can't be sure. So I decide to play it safe and do whatever thing I'm supposed to do. After all, if it's real, I must satisfy my societal obligations.

And then I wake up, and I go to my job, and I have to sit next to the fat vegan who laughs too much in a high-pitched voice, and I have to talk to the guy who goes to the gym and thinks he's informed about politics, and I smile politely when everyone won't shut up about the Palestinian conflict. I wonder if this, too, is a dream.