THE ROPES (March 2, 2009)

I dreamt that I was hanging laundry to dry on a small balcony giving onto a large and irregular courtyard when a young woman walked up to a four-story building right across the courtyard, grabbed one of the few thick ropes hanging from the roof, climbed up a few stories at a clip, and entered an open window. Although I did not see her face, it was clear from the way she was built that she was Asian. Her straight black hair hung just below her shoulders. She wore a light-blue T-shirt with long sleeves and white shorts. To the best of my recollection, she was barefoot. Her performance was simply amazing, though. It appeared effortless. The woman used only her arms for climbing. Slightly parted, her legs hung loose. It was clear she used the ropes often and that she was not alone in using them, either. I remember thinking that a number of other Asians must be living in the same building. I woke up feeling envious of both the climbing skill and the build ideal for it.