I was back in the world of substitute teaching, before I became a teacher of blind children.

The school was brand new to me, as was the assignment.  I was to spend the day teaching swimming.  The trouble is … I don’t know how to swim!  I was thrown in the deep end when I was six, and blacked out.  Ever since, the smell of chlorine has struck fear in my heart.

Well at least I’d make some money.

I found myself in a library – lots of computers, not many books.  Through a big glass door I saw the school.  It was called “Wanneer Hall”.  In an homage to my current Dutch struggles, “wanneer” means “when”.  The door was locked.  No Entry.

A door on the other side of the library mentioned the school entrance.  When I opened it, there was some kind of cable car sitting above a bottomless pit.  Hmm … “bottomless pit”.  Sounds like a few of my life moments.

I’ve drawn what the cable car looked like:

To reach the school (and the swimming pool!) I had to leap out the door onto that top ledge, grab the cable, and hang on for dear life as the car descended.

My stomach was also plummeting, along with my heart.  All this to earn a few bucks.

And then …

I woke up

No more teaching

No more drowning

Thank you for being here, Gent