Living the Dream: Dream Journal #1

 I had a dream last night.

I don't remember most of my dreams.  They fade away quickly.  But the outlines of this one stuck with me.

Here it goes.

I was working.  I'm not sure of my age, and it's not at a job I've ever had.  It's with a big office in a large city. I work with a boss in a department that does ... I don't know what it does.

I come in with my boss and a few others to a luncheon conference.  It's a big group, dozens of people, maybe a hundred or more. The boss gets in front of the crowd, with me at his side.  He talks to the group.  "My new aide here tells me he is an actor." The audience guffaws a bit as if that is a ridiculous notion.  "So, I will give him a chance to convince us of his 'hidden' talent.'" He turns to me and puts his hand on my shoulder.  "Son, you have ten minutes to prove yourself."

I am in front of the crowd now, by myself.  I did not expect this.  I have nothing prepared.  I don't know what to do.

After about the longest thirty seconds of my life, just as the crowd was beginning to murmur, I began.  I do situational humor, funny stories about my life, and some gentle jabs at the company and the audience.  There is some laughter that increases as I continue.  When I am done, the audience applauds.  I smile.  I feel like a success.

The next day there is a second luncheon.  The boss asked the group what they thought of my 'so-called' acting.  The criticism is sharp and increasingly personal.  The general gist is that I'm nuts if I think I'm an actor.  At first, I nod and take notes, but as it goes on, I lose my cool.  "When I said I was an actor, I meant with a script and lines that I learn.  I didn't mean I was an improv comedian.  Given that, I thought I did pretty good."

A woman in the back said, "You thought it was pretty good!  Ha!  That shows how deluded you are!  The one thing you got right is that you're definitely not an improv comedian!" The group applauded in agreement.  "You sucked so bad. I would never pay to see you act. Please, in the future, let us know what plays you are in so we know what to avoid."

At that, I woke up.

So, what do you think it means?