I was up in rural northern New Hampshire, driving in a snowstorm. It was mild at first, then it became a nasty blizzard, full blown Nore'Easter. My car conked out and I couldn't get a cell signal. The only useful thing I could think to do was stay in my car as at least that provided some shelter. I don't know exactly how long I was there alone but I recall Claude showing up. He came and sat in the car a while and talked with me. He had a few sarcastic remarks regarding the fact that I didn't have any proper survival gear ("Mobile? fat lot 'o good that does you, if you can't get a signal.") and the fact that I'd gone driving in the middle of nowhere during a storm ("Just askin' for it aren't, you?") but he kept me from freaking out. Then Claude left, saying that he was going for help ("Stay put will, you? You wouldn't last 5 minutes out there.") At some point I passed out and I vaguely remember EMTs and a chopper arriving, but Claude was nowhere to be seen. I thought, as I faded in and out of consciousness, that maybe I'd just hallucinated him being there until I came to in this hospital and caught a TV news report of this local farmer from the area near where my car had broken down. He was saying how some tough looking bearded stranger with a funny accent had shown up and told him to call 911 and to send them to where I was. My mother was at the hospital and I recall her being there as some tech put in an IV and it hurt something awful and I think he collapsed the vein. I remember telling my mom that I wish my dad wasn't retired as I never would have felt it if he'd been putting a line in. Then I woke up. What it's supposed to mean I'm not sure. I'll say this much: I know better than to go for long drives in a blizzard, ergo it's gotta be symbolic. ETA: Maybe it's nothing but since late last night I've had an old 60's song stuck in my head. The song is called "I'm Your Puppet," and it was first released back in 1966. I haven't heard it recently and the only reason I know it at all is because my folks have a tendency to play oldies stations that cover from about the late 50's on through the very early 70's.
bigbadwolfeboro) wrote, 