Dream: Gosford Park

It was rambling and incoherent, with various episodes that seemed inspired by Gosford Park, although there was no murder or crime, just a lot of personal intrigue.

• Bruce, a former friend and roommate from my church days, is one of the servants. He sits with several others at a long banquet table outdoors discussing something that went wrong.


• A woman appears at the door of a shadowy room. "Oh, I like her," I comment to Danny, who is apparently watching the movie with me. But she does not resemble any actress I know. She proceeds to surreptitiously call someone on her mobile phone. She doesn't play an interesting character and I am disappointed


• Most of the dream takes place outdoors. The setting looks like a watercolour painting in dark blue-greens, with a lake and lots of big trees in the distance.


• Annie Lennox takes the place of Ivor Novello. She is rehearsing a song with a backup choir, probably "Sing." It is supposed to be a love offering to a wealthy prig who is returning from a hunting party. I participate in a conversation about the difficulty of doing this kind of thing discreetly.


• A female servant runs around delegating tasks, trying to prepare for a meal. Two other women, slightly older, stand gossiping and criticizing her for acting out of place. "You ought to be taking orders from me," one of them says. The younger servant ignores them and goes about her tasks. The confrontation is repeated. This time she responds indignantly, "I am the head housemaid." I wake up, thinking, "It's not like they were doing anything anyway."