Inception?

So all of my dreams for awhile are going to be compared to Inception's architecture.

Last night I had one that came pretty close to the real thing - or whatever that reality is.

I arrived at some kind of train station. Could have been European. From the platform, the floor and walls were a bluish gray. And there was a set of futuristic elevator capsules. I stepped into one and started pushing buttons with barely a clue of where I was heading.

Suddenly I was in this food court area that felt part '80s mall with neon light strips and chrome, and part casino lobby with mauve, patterned carpet and indoor waterfalls. There were also hints of the town square set in "Back to the Future," too, with classic cars parked throughout. I was looking for something to eat, but I realized my wallet wasn't in my back pocket.

There was an interlude filled with projections of buddies from my junior high and high school years. Corey and I talked of our field hockey days in junior high. Another acquaintance, Ryan, who plays in a popular rock band in reality, was milling around, telling us to "be safe out there." I passed through a door into a hallway that was painted completely in a grayish, off-white.

Suddenly I was in a lavish California-style palace that was the university president's home. Though there wasn't an item inside that resembled the real thing. The president and the first lady were giving me a tour of the home, leading me down the winding metal staircase and pointing to relics along the way, like an antique television set they said came from a residence hall.

As we got to the bottom of the staircase, the atrium looked more like the lobby of the Museum of Science & Industry. And there was a large group of people moving through it, about to embark on a tour. Somebody said, "You'd better get going!" And I began jogging through the atrium to catch up with the group as they rounded the corner.

As I caught up to them, we entered another atrium that looked part Galleria, part Union Station. Neil Diamond's "Song Sung Blue" began playing, and people had started skipping and dancing. The atmosphere was festive - sort of like this. I looked to my right and a former boss was skipping along side me. I reached out to him and we slapped hands as we skipped near the back of the crowd.

Suddenly I was back at the elevators. I stepped into one and started going up.

The dream ended.

And of course, I can't remember how I got there in the first place.