Chapter1T🔔⛼h🊘🐨eDream-Maker

    Nightfallslowlydesded.Dimitricouldn’tcealhisexhiration.Nightwasthehappiesttimeofthedayforhim,becausethenheakedreams.Dimitriwasahomelesspersonaosleepingwhereverhecould.Butnowhewasgettingolderaheneedofashelter.,soheputtogethersomediscardedoldboardsandtisandbuilthimselfamakeshifthomeinanarrowalley.Withcoldwindwhippingathisraggedovercoathepushedashoppin🛟🝥gcartwhitainedallhisworldlypossessionsinfrontofhimandheadedtowardsafancyItaliaauraheariannaoftengavehimleftovers.Mariannathrustapaperbagathim,tainin🔐ghalfasteakandsomepraasta.Dimitriwasetedandrushedhome,lookingforwardtoaluxuriousmeadreams.Joethebartenderloo🔘🀶kedonwithjealousy.AfterDimitrihadleft,hesaidsarcastically,

    "Whyareyousogoodtohim,Marianna?Heisonlyahumanscum,burrowingthroughthegarbageslookingforfoodandclothes.Heisabum,sittingtherealld🗿ayfeedingpigeonsbytheke.Hemaynotevenlikey👣🊬ou.Heprobablythinksyou’retoofat!""Howdoyouknow?"snappedMarianna."Dimitrimaynotkno🗧🝽whowtoexpresshimself,butheisapoetatheart.He’samillioterthanagood-for-nothingdrunkardlikeyou!"

    MariannafirstmetDimitribesideagarbage.ThatdayDimitrifoundau⛦🜫rsewh🕁ilehewasgoingthroughthegarbage.Ittaiwo-🂞karatdiamand

    3,000incash.Poorashewas,Dimitrididnotcovetwhatwasnothis.Hewaitedtherebythegarbageanyhourshopingtheownerwouldshowup.MeanwhileMariannahadfinishedherday’sworkandwasfranticallylookingforherpurse.Whenshecouldn’tfinditanywherei,sheintuitivelykhatJoe,whowasusuallyhalf-drunk,musthavethrownitintothegarbagebagtogetherwiththegarbage.Sherushedoutsideandbeganrummagingthroughthegarbag🃢ebagsfromtherestaurant.

    "Whatareyouupto?"askedDimitriic🜴🆚a🉿🍈🆆lly.

    "Iamlookingformypurse”repledMariannawithoutlookingup.“Joemusthavetosseditout🛠withthegarbage."

    "What’sthepurselikeandwhat’sinit?"Mariannastoppedshort,arayofhopegleamedinh🆃ereyesa📓sshegavehimadetaileddescription.Dimitrihandedherthepurseandturogo.Mariannaranafterhimandtriedtopersuadehiminvaintotakesomethingasareward.ToDimitri,worldlywealthdidnotmeananythingsohereplied,

    "WhyshouldItakethissinceIdonotevenwantyandmohustheybecamefriendsandshealwayskeptchoic🝒🊥💘ebitsofleftoversforhim.

    Dimitriwasacuriousexampleofararespeanbeing:absent-minded,carefree,notk🁴nowingwhathewasabout,andsatisfiedwiththemerefactthathecouldstillthinkahe.Hewasahalfbreed,withsomesortofAsianbloodbutdidnotknowwhohisparentswere.Heseemedtorememberbeinginschoolforafewyears,butwasnotreall🀼yliterate.Heworkedforawhilebutdidnotdomuchofanythihoughthewasmarriedothenmaybeheonlylivedwithawomanforawhile.Hewasnotsure.Hehadasocialsecuritynumberormaybehedidn’t.Hehadawidecircleofacquaintanoddingandsmilingtopeoplewhereverhewent,evenexgingjocurreMarks,buthedidn’thaveasinglefriend.

    Hewasonlyawakeinhisdreams.OnsunnydayshewouldgoovertothelongabandonedwoodendockatLakeMerritt,filthyandsmellywithbirdexcrement.Buthedidn’tmind.Birdstohimwereflyingmessengersfromheavenwhereallhishopeswere.Hewouldsitonthebehem,lettingthemflyaroundhimatleonhishead,shouldersandp.Hewouldstareatthemulti-coloredcloudsihroughthec☣🁌🄗racksofwhichleakedouttheughterofparadise.Whenduskwasnearhewouldgetupandgobacktohis,pushinghisshoppingcartinfrontofhim.

    Thefirstthin👛🉢ghedidwhehomewastotakehisdirtyoldsleepingbagfromtheshoppingcartandspreaditoutatitsusualer.Theedhis"spoils"fromthegarbage.Apairofhalf-worntennisshoes,hissizeandstillserviceable.Whydopeoplethrowthesethingsaway?Hecouldn’tuan♢🊇d.Then,therewasashirt,quite.Yes,hecouldthrowhisdipidatedoneaway,andtomorrowhewouldputonhisnewshirtandshoesandfeelquitedebonair.Hepyasariwhohadjustmadeamilliondolrs.Helighte🛒🛱duphiskerosenecookingstovetoheatupMarianna’sleftovers,andafterthissumptuousmealwouldgotobed.Hislifewassosimple.Toputitintoaformu,itwouldbe:limitedmaterialsneeds=unlimitedsatisfa.Thatwasbecausethefocusofhislifewasnotwhenhewasawake,butwhenhewasasleep.Heytodaybecausehehadgatheredalotofmaterialtobewovenintohisdreams.Forhim,thiswasjustlikefeedinginformationintotheputertanizedandrepyedonthes.

    Whilehavinghisdinner,heweheeventsoftheday:Thatm🁒🅎🅙hepassedanimposingofficebuilding.AbckRolls-Roycestoppedsmoothlybeforeitandaliveriedchauffeurgotouttoopenthedoorforamaneandapipeinhismouth——obviouslyanold-fashioy.HewasallegedtobethepresidentofWorldBank."Sowhat?"thoughtDimitri,"Ibeoooinmydreams”.Thenhepassedahigh-cssshoestoreforwomen,sellingshoesandotherleathergoods.Apairofglitteringtoelesssilverhigh-heeledshoesdispyedint🟛🝺🐊hewindowcaughthiseye."Whatclotheswouldgowiththem?"hemused."Astraplessroyalblueeveninggownperhaps,ingbi-skirt?Bothwoulddo”hedecided.Justthen,thesalesgirl’sarmreachedoutandtooktheshoesawayfromthewindowdispytotrythemonaer.Dimitriwascurioustoknowwhothewomanwas,soh⛆😌⛥ewalkedtotheentraheshopandpeeredin.Thebrilliaoenailspeekingfromthesilvershoesmesmerizedhimandkindledfmesofprimitivelustfromwithinhimlikelightedmatchesthrownintoabarrelofgasoline.

    "MayIh🞟🕞🊰elpyou?"avoicecoldly.Itwasthestoremanageringtodrivehimaway.

    "Nowayyouhelpme”mumbledDimitriandpushedhiscartaway,thinkingmeanwhileabout"morematerialf🄤⛌ortonight".

    Heimmediatelyydowntosleepafterhisdinnerandinnotimeheseemedtoseeanobscuremoonintheskyshiningonawindingmountainpath.Ashlitteringformsuddenlyemergedfromthewoodsarouhandstartedwalkingtowardsadarkaesehousefurtheron.Itwasafreakish,ugly-lookingpygmywearingtheeborateesofthegDynasty.Hishatandcoatweremadeofmaterialwovenwithgoldthreadandwereshininginthemoonlight.thedoorofthehouse,whichletelydark,hedrewafoot-longkeyfromhispocketandtriedtofititintotheold-fashionedeselock.Hestoodontip-toesaledwiththelodkeyforalongtimebutto🎢💴🖃noavail.Heflewihrewthekeyontothegroundandstompedonitagainandagain,makingsqueakysoundstoexpresshisflustration.Thenhecalmeddownabit,pickedupthekeyandtriedagain.Thistimeitworked.Hecarriedtheheavylockboriouslyintothehouseandclosedthedoor.Ititchdarki🕉🇶🝃nside.Heopehetrunkothedoorandimmediatelytheroomlitupwiththebrilliahegemsirunk:pricelessdiamonds,rubies,pearlsandsapphiresallytherepiledinaheap.