Most of the time I think I have a handle on the stress of our legal situation. But, after today, it occurs to me there is an undercurrent I’m not always aware of. For instance, this morning I lay in bed just before dawn, dreaming.

In the dream Alan and I were in court, and our neighbor was on the stand testifying in this case of ours. The judge had asked him a question and Johnee was trying to answer.

“But… but…but…but…” He stuttered, unable to come up with an answer to the question.

Then I woke up and began to perceive, through the fog of sleep, the howler monkeys outside our bedroom window making their usual pre-dawn racket: Argh… argh… argh… argh.

I got up to get ready for the day. It was a few minutes before I realized the source of my dream. How agreeable of the monkeys to give me the soundtrack for my dream.