Gift-Wrapping in a Filthy Basement

 The other night, I dreamed that I was a contestant in a reality show for gift-wrapping. This show seemed to have low production values -- it probably was for YouTube or the like. Anyway, this particular episodee took part in an unfinished basemenet of someone's house. It was filthy and musty, crammed with decades worth of junk, and i think the sump pump had malfunctioned at sone point.

Aftermath of Fish Sex

 In this dream, I was strolling through a little shop that sold artisan tableware  like handmade plates and hand-blown wine glasses. What made this shop so interesting was that one whole wall was a huge aquarium filled with salt-water tropical fishes, coral reef, sea plants and so on. While I gazed at vibrant-colored fish milling around, I noticed a pair of smaller fishes, one black and one red, darting around near the bottom. It looked like the black fish was being chased playfully by the red fish. Finally, they ducked into a spot under a leafy plant in a dark corner of the aquarium. Though I didn't have a clear view, I got the impression they were doing the "birds and bees" thing. After a moment, the red fish swam away, and then the black fish emerged into view, looking straight at me with her cartoon eyes and a lopsided smile (somehow I got the sense it was a female fish.)  At first, she seemed happy, but in a few seconds, the smile faded and the eyes took on a "deer in headlights" look, as if she had suddenly realized the full impact of motherhood. I think she does want to be a mother but got overwhelmed. Perhaps a fishy version of the book "What to Expect When You're Expting" would be helpful to her. May life bring you happiness and good luck, little fish.