David was having vivid dreams. The dreams were so real that several days after, he would sometimes wonder if in fact things hadn’t happened for real.
They weren’t the sort of magnificent dreams we might like to have, such as winning a car in a raffle or doing something unmentionable with someone unbelievably gorgeous. They were ordinary dreams, such as visiting a friend or going fishing in a little boat.
When his sister invited him to her birthday party, David said he’d be delighted to come. Then, after a few days he wondered if the invitation was for real. Had he perhaps dreamed the invitation up? Was there really going to be a birthday party? He phoned her to make sure.
“It’s me, David,” he said.
“Hi!” she said.
“This might sound a bit silly, but I’m just phoning to verify: are you having a birthday party? And am I invited?”
“Of course I’m having a party!” she said. “And, yes, of course you’re invited.”
“Thank goodness for that!” said David. “I thought I was dreaming.”
On the day, David turned up in party mode.
“Where’s the party?” he asked his sister.
“What party?” she said.
“You said you were having a party. I phoned you about it.”
“You never phoned me about anything,” she said.