Chihiro woke up that morning from a strange dream. A dream she hadn't had in a long time. She dreamed of a bath house where the spirits bathe to rejuvenate themselves. Strange to remember that now, but i guess since she was in kind of a rut with her life, it makes sense to dream about the most exciting time in her life. She got dresses and ate breakfast and prepared herself for another day at her job. She worked at a call center, which was boring and trying, but it was better than working in a mine.
as she drove her car to work, there was an incident ahead and the traffic was being diverted. taking the diverted path she realized that she recognized some of her surroundings. She couldnt quite place it, but pulled by curiosity, she parked her car and went for a short walk.
After a while, she realized that she was at the same pathway to the bathhouse of which she had just dreamed. Strange that of all the time she looked and hunted for it in her teens and could never find it, that now, because of a detour, she had found this wondrous dangerous place.
Memories rushed through her of a boy she met there, with whom she still had strong feelings.. and of an older lady in a swamp who had been most kind. Tentatively, she began to walk forward, full of memories and questions.
Would it be the same? would things happen in a similar way? Would he be there and would he remember her? Or was it all just a dream of a silly young girl?
Kirin Rosenbaum:
