Yoda Dreams

Sometimes Yoda appears in Joseph's dreams. Sometimes by surprise and other times, Joseph thinks, by his own design, as if he summons these somnolent visions through his own concentration, his own intrigue.

This morning he awoke perplexed, last night's visit from the Jedi Master more vivid than those past and entirely unprovoked. Joseph found himself in an orchard, strolling tree lined aisles, collecting apples into a bottomless cart. Suddenly Yoda stood before him and Joseph thought perhaps he came to slice Empire apples with his light saber. Or maybe he was just running from Disney.

The diminutive green sage approached and walked beside him.

"Joseph," said Yoda, "everything you need, here you have. Food," he pointed at the apples, "shelter," he pointed to a rickety wooden shack off in the distance that Joseph hadn't noticed, "and the sky."

"The sky?" asked Joseph. "Yoda, don't you mean clothing. Food, shelther, and clothing, right? Aren't those the three basic needs?"

Yoda laughed. "Oh, yes, a smart one you are. Of course, clothing you need. Yes, clothing. But the sky too, you need. Without the sky, there are no clouds. Without clouds, there is no rain. Without rain, there is no food."

"By that logic, you can't only mention the sky. Don't forget the sun, dry land, etc."

"Yes, Joseph! And also something else there is, or should say I, someone else."

"What are you getting at, Yoda?"

"For Jedi, forbidden, love is. But for you, without it, lost, you will be."

"I'm not ready to commit, Master Yoda, please, don't push me."

"Okay, Joseph, back off, I will. Other suggestions for you I have."

"What suggestions?"

"First, a new cart for your apples, you must get. So from your labor, some apples you will have."

Joseph watched himself pick an apple and drop it into his bottomless cart, watched the apple fall through and land on the grass.

"Second, Joseph, you must wake up."

And in that instant Joseph awoke, perplexed. He spent most of the morning that followed searching for meaning. When he told Annabeth about the dream, he mentioned the apple cart, but left out the part about love.