4.35AM Saturday, April 30.
I have just had a lightning jolt of an idea so powerful all sleep has left me. I think I may have finally climbed the heights only reached by genius inventors. An idea for a social game has come to me, in my dream, and I want to record it before it all disappears with the mist of dawn.
In my dream, I am at an airport terminal, waiting at the ARRIVALS.I have no idea what city I am, but I know I am at a popular, busy airport. I feel that I know the place well; it is as if I go there frequently, like I work there. Or, I know someone that works there, and I have been to visit the place a number of times. I feel I know it, in my very being I can feel it.
My first impulse is to let my head slide past hers and rest on her shoulder, but I suddenly stop short and kiss her on her right cheek.
Two ladies approach me. I have never met them outside of this dream, but I do know them. One of them, dark-chocolate complexion and thin is talking to her friend, who has a tanned skin tone; also thin.
They seem to have both had a fun time wherever they are coming from. I will call the former Carol, the later, Sue. Carol has a black lady’s bag hanging from her shoulder. She is dressed in black: short skirt, short top terminating just above her belly button. There is a silver stud where her navel should be. Her hair is a glossy black, thick mass of curls that rest squarely on her shoulders. Sue has a brown bag. She is dressed in a short dress, yellow, and terminating just above her knees. Her brown hair complements her tan very prettily. They are walking towards me. I smile at them. Sue waves and smiles. Carol looks uninterested in me, and continues talking at Sue.
Just before they come up to me, about three feet away, Carol stops, gives Sue a hug and turns. As she recedes, my hands move up to wave her “bye-bye,” but stop mid-way as Sue jumps in for a hug. I throw my hands around her waist. She wraps hers around my neck. The bag slides down a little, but stops to rest on my left forearm. The suede feels soft on my skin.
Sue is shorter than I am. She stands 5′ 5’’ tall – just enough difference for her to look up at my face when we hug. My first impulse is to let my head slide past hers and rest on her shoulder, but I suddenly stop short and kiss her on her right cheek. She feels supple. Then, I let my head go all the way down, and now we are hugging: my neck locking on hers. A few seconds later, the hug comes apart, and we walk through sliding doors into a lobby filled with sofas and ottomans. The lobby reeks of caffelatte and other caffeine drinks from the nearby in-building Starbucks, and I feel repulsed.
I have my right hand rubbing gently on Sue’s waist, and although we are safely avoiding all the obstacles in our way, either human or furniture, we are not looking ahead. I am looking directly at Sue, and she is looking at me. Her face shows signs of fatigue, and I notice she is terrible at hiding it. She smiles at me, and my worry is assuaged. Still, I show concern and ask her what is wrong.
“You realize I am dating now,” she replies. Her response catches me somewhat as surprising. I mean, I do not feel that I am dating this woman in my dream. I know her, yes. We seem intimate, nay; I seem to think we are intimate, yes. But, dating?
“You are! Who?”
“You.”
She is calm, unassertive and unprompted as she replies. Her remark flows naturally, as if it were a usual exchange between us. This woman knows me. I feel that I know her, but I am not certain. My entire being is happy, my mind is dreamy. I smile back at her. I am tantalized. My face drifts to hers irrepressibly. Then, a deep stabbing pain hits me. My mind is black. I am in a brief stupor, before I realize what just happened. I have just rammed head-first into the wall beside my bed, and I have a terrible protuberance on my forehead.
***
Just as my pain dies down, I realize how potent a dream I just had. It was vivid. It was well imagined. I felt real, and it reflected my reactions with near real-world accuracy. In other words, the dream played a scenario just as it would play out in a real airport terminal, albeit major alterations in characters and personalities. I realize that this dream can form the foundations for a social game I will call iMagineMe. The basic objective of the game is to let players learn more about fellow players through a series of imagined scenarios. For example, player 1 asks player 2 to pick a scenario. Then, player 1 describes that scenario, putting him/herself as the central character. It is in many ways an answer to the question: how would you (player 1) act in this or that situation? Also, the player 1 may elect to describe the scenario, but with player 2 as the central character. This second format answers the question: how do you think I (player 2) would act in this or that situation? Of course, the game requires that both players assume some knowledge of each other. This is not to say, however, that the game may not come into play in ice-breaking scenarios.
There is no limited number of players for the game iMagineMe. It has potential to accommodate as many variations as needed, but the central rules are the same. The scenarios and descriptions must be agreeable to all parties involved. All descriptions must be affirmed or debunked by central character; that is, if a description offered is a false assumption, the central character(s) must dismiss the false information by saying, “You’d think so, but you’d be wrong.” At this point, it is optional to yield the right description, or demystify the fallacy. Players may not engage in truth-or-dare situations. Any participant has the right to waive a scenario as “Unthinkable.” Unthinkable scenarios are those that would otherwise reveal I information deemed unnecessary, personal or confidential by the responding player. In this case, the play may come to an end, or continue on other scenarios. These are the central rules of iMagineMe: the game. Other rules may be introduced on a case-by-case basis, but central rules are supreme.
Disclaimer: any currently existing social games similar to iMagineMe are not models for iMagineMe. iMagineMe creators do not intend to infringe any gaming laws and any such violations are purely coincidental. Please play responsibly.
