January 23, 2018

Met my playwrights last night. The class is twice the size of the optimum, though I’m glad for the interest in playwriting. Hard to know how to deal with that, other than to beg everybody’s patience. Arriving forty minutes late was a big husky boy in a skirt who wanted to be called Scarlet. Not only that, but he announced his need to be warned if the talk were going to be about rape, because he goes into a panic attack if he hears harsh talk on certain subjects. He acknowledged a disconnect between the attitudes of students about such things and the attitudes of the faculty, anticipating correctly that I would consider it a cheap way of controlling discourse, a kind of emotional blackmail. He assured the class that it was completely physical and completely beyond his control. Turbulent class, but generally a good turbulence.

Very extended and elaborate dream of my going to a small town in Ohio and buying a big downtown hotel. I had to borrow money from my mother to do it. I remember the heat of desire in my heart when I finally decided I would do it. The hotel looked down on a typically derelict Main Street, but the lobby was lofty and gorgeous, all in green and pale marble. One window had been broken and white doves had gotten in. My future employees were happy with the development, and were already suggesting menus for when the dining room reopened. I spent a long time choosing fixtures and planning for the future. Still smiling when I woke.