Dream of the Buffalo (Bull) and Bear (Dog) 2/27/2015

From the morning of February 27, 2015.

I dream I am living in a new place. Everything is grayish blue. I am walking home from work following a river or a stream when a buffalo appears out of nowhere. It is following me slowly. I might feed it something after I first encounter it.

I remember a story about a buffalo following someone home in the news and even though the buffalo isn't aggressive at all, I am starting to get frightened because it is still a big, powerful animal.

I go to my house which is also new, not the one I live in now nor is it one that I have ever lived in. The house is decorated in the same bluish-gray hue of the outside world. It is a two story house, tastefully decorated.

I go upstairs to the bathroom, which is a much nicer, bigger bathroom than anywhere I have ever lived, and get ready to bathe The tub is big enough to take a comfortable bath but I cannot get the encounter with the buffalo out of my mind. I think about what might happen if the buffalo followed me home? What is my escape route. At the same time I feel I am being silly. It is just a fantasy and I feel, more or less, perfectly safe.

The bathroom only has one door in and I imagine the buffalo walking in and what happened if it became threatening. In my dream imagination it becomes a bull and points its horns at me as it readies to charge and I realize it cannot aim at me with its horns and see me so I think that will give me some chance to escape.

I am undressing in front of the mirror and down to my undershirt and underwear. I am still thinking about the buffalo, feeling more vulnerable since I am undressed but I think I would hear it if it came in the front door, right? It would have to make some noise opening the door and more noise as such a huge beast walked up a flight of stairs. But everything is pretty quiet in my new house at the moment.

I begin to relax and prepare to enter the water in my lovely new house when a bear comes lumbering in the bathroom door. I am petrified but the bear, looking like a black bear with brown highlights, smiles at me like a dog might. There is nothing but the kind of love and loyalty a dog might project in its eyes but the thing is freaking huge yet it leaves space for me to get behind it and out the door if I wish. It seems to know that it is terrifying in some way and seems apologetic for that fact.

I am thinking, “Where did this bear come from?” I am only in my t-shirt and briefs but I have to get out of the house and I slowly make my way behind the bear who, like the buffalo, makes no aggressive move toward me.

I think of the embarrassment of having to leave my house in my underwear and what my new neighbors might think of that spectacle but that it is the right thing to do since animals can be unpredictable and the dream ends as I am walking down the stairs to the open door.