A couple of soldiers, one of them Angus H., are giving a presentation, talking about their experiences recently in Iraq. They talk about coming into a room that is an insurgent stronghold, but all the insurgents have disappeared. The room is full of smoke from their cigarettes, and the guns are warm, but the people are gone. They are telling us about the difficulty and frustration of this task. They make it seem as though we are not winning the war.

Afterward I thank them for their presentation and their military service. I give Angus some Kaiser Permanente socks as an appreciation gift, blue with the Kaiser logo on the side, and another gift that I don't remember. I tell the other soldier that I owe him the same gifts the next time I see him, because I only have one of each on hand.

Then I'm down at the ocean, and mom and one of the kids are playing in the sea. There's a dangerous tide, and the backwash pulls under a spit. Several times I think they are being sucked underneath and will drown, and I run to save them, but I'm not sure that I should jump in either. I think I should warn them.

On a hill above the beach, I'm sitting in a Volkswagen van, myself in the driver's seat, Misha as passenger. She's explaining to me all the reasons we're perfect for each other and should remarry, or not divorce. I listen, and her thoughts seem very reasonable, but I say "It's too late. That was years ago. I don't love you any more."

Then I've ridden my bike downtown. My truck is parked in the basement of a parking garage there, apparently awaiting some repairs. I intend to stop off and put my bike in the truck so it won't get stolen, but then I realize that I didn't bring the keys for the truck. I continue, because maybe it's unlocked, and when I get there, I discover that is indeed unlocked, and the keys are in the ignition.

I put the bike in the back, but then it occurs to me that if I lock up the truck the mechanic won't be able to get in to fix it. But if I don't lock it, my bike may be stolen.

First I sort of hide the bike in the back seat. It seems ok, but not that well hidden. Might still get stolen. But then I discover that the bike can fold completely flat like cardboard, and I hide it under the folded back seat.