I Had a Dream

Chen Rong

“Chubbie, let’s hurry and get up!”

“It’s still dark!”

“You promised last night to get up early and complete the work!”

“Mmmm—mmm, I just had a dream. . . . ”

“Don’t talk nonsense. Let’s hurry and put on our clothes. Or your dad will beat you!”

“Really, Ma, I did have a dream!”

“Fine, fine, be a good kid and listen to ma. Come on, raise your arms!”

“In my dream I became the President.”

“You failed your math. How can you be the President? Step into the pants!”

“But I did. Yes, the first order I issued was . . . ”

“Put on your shoes!”

“I was sitting in a grand chair. The Minister of Education knelt in front of me. And I ordered: Assign ten times more homework to the children of school teachers!”

(1995)