WHEN A SKUNK VISITS

LUCY M. from Hawaii sent me this fairly short dream for interpretation:

I am at a retreat with my co-workers.  The air pollution in the city has been pretty bad, and we’ve taken the day off to be in a park where the air seems to be better.  The owner/boss from work has brought his wife and young boy.  They’re both pretty stressed by the kid because he’s very rambunctious and active.  I can see they’re having a hard time controlling him.  The kid tends to run off on his own and everyone tries to keep an eye on him, but he’s just too stubborn.  There is a roofed picnic area with tables and benches.  Most of us are sitting in there talking and playing games.  A huge skunk enters the area… I mean as big as a wolf.  We all panic, worried it’s going to spray on us and create a big stink.  The kid runs up to it, provokes it and it sprays all over him.  His parents grab him and try to wash him down but we all know that smell is going to hang around a long time.

I emailed Lucy back and asked if, by any chance, her place of work is run like a Mom & Pop business, where the owners are pretty hands-on.  I asked if they had a child who also worked at the business.  She admitted it was indeed a small mom/pop tourist-type business.  They had no children, but one of their employees, a get-up-and-go type of guy, has been with them since they opened business ten years previously.  In fact, he acts as Office Manager and tourist guide to many of the local sights.

At this point, it’s all pretty self-explanatory.  This dream is an enactment of the job environment for everyone who works at the business.  The “bad air pollution in the city” suggests there has already been a few incidents which have triggered arguments and ill will among the employees.

This dream has come to Lucy to warn her of an upcoming “stinky” situation… one which will cause an irreparable “bad smell.”  It’s something pretty major, like a lawsuit against the owners, the dismissal of some employees, or a general “bad” situation which the owners will try to “wash down.”   It will be triggered by what the Manager does (or says).  He may even accuse the owners of some inappropriate or illegal activities.

Lucy, I’d advise you keep a low profile and don’t let the “stink” engage your active participation, for or against the owners.