Just remembered a bit of a waking dream, a true surreal moment I had this past Saturday morning. I was walking down State Street in Madison, WI., around 10:00 AM, having just come from the State exams on campus. I trekked up, then down Bascom Hill, panting out crystals in the single-digit frigid air.

I was listening to Radiohead, "Everything in Its Right Place." The last line began repeating: "Dinosaurs roaming the Earth...." I don't know why, but I heard Thom Yorke say "Butterflies" instead of "Dinosaurs." All four times.

Butterflies roaming the Earth...

I turned my head up (chin had been in hollow of throat, protecting Adam's Apple from icy air) and stared into the display in the main window of the UW Bookstore: An equatorial theme, featuring calendars of butterflies, day-keepers of butterflies, throw pillows and pens and bookbags featuring butterflies. I stopped, stunned, of course. A quick head shake then I moved on, headed toward the Capitol and inevitably the Come Back Inn for a toasty Bloody Mary.

My head was down again when she said, "Excuse me." as I passed the Wisconsin House of Cheese. I looked up, startled, as a young woman, obviously a college student, jogged on toward me. She was dressed as a big blue butterfly. Normally someone dressed to do a promotion for MSN 8 would not greatly arouse my interest, but this was just number two of what I knew would be three events. I was destined to make a wish.

I made it on MLK Boulevard. I made it just after seeing a butterfly flitter, flitter by. I actually followed the damned thing back and forth across the street because I couldn't believe it. It was 10 AM on January 8; it was 4 degrees outside.

I had no idea how it was alive; but I made a wish.

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