The Monkey Knife

DREAM: I’m at the circus. The Abominable Snow Woman bounds into the ring. She’s 20 feet high and powerful. She lifts me out of my seat and carries me around the ring to the delight of the audience. I’m a good sport about it at first, but become annoyed when she doesn't put me down. Meanwhile, a wagon enters the ring carrying the body of Elvis Presley. I can tell it is not really him, but a cheap wax copy. The body comes loose from the head and falls off the wagon. Now there is only a head lying there. "Where's the rest of me?" I joke, recalling Ronald Reagan's famous line in King's Row.

Later I’m at Grandma White’s house. She has a roommate, who looks just like her. They are both tall and thin, and have long straight white hair. They do not get along. Grandma wants to take the Vow of Esther; her roommate/twin thinks they should embrace the Eros principle. They argue back and forth. Grandma leaves the room, furious.

I follow her. She is seated in a chair. She is younger in appearance than when I knew her. She speaks in a British accent, reminiscing about her acting career. This is unlike her. Grandma spoke with a Texas accent and was a Pentecostal Christian who thought show business was sinful. I suspect this is an imposter.

Later, I go for a ride with my family in the country southeast of Mineral Wells. I am about to bring up the matter of Grandma's imposter when we turn down a road crowded with dogs.

“What are all these dogs doing here?” I ask. My father replies, “They’re looking for the Monkey Knife. Every morning at 10:00 a monkey is killed with a knife. Then the knife is buried and all the dogs in the neighborhood are let out to search for it. It’s great fun …”