I dreamed I went out without my face mask. People did not seem to realize it, but I was worried. I was in the middle of a long avenue, with no trees, no columns, no house portals, no doors. I did not find where to hide. I was far away from home. I did not have any handkerchief in my pockets. I felt as if I were naked. Nightmare.

The good thing about bad dreams is that you actually wake up safe in your room. It feels like you escaped from danger. The worst thing about bad dreams is that they often recur. I dreamed I was outdoors without my face mask again. But everyone pointed at me this time. The shame, shyness. I wake up startled.

This pandemic has changed all of a sudden the narrative of dreams. I did not coin that, I heard it on the radio. A woman doctor gave clever details about it. And a fashion specialist said in another radio program that she foresees very interesting trends in the design of face masks. “Face masks are here to stay,” she said. “In the future, some elegance tips must be associated to wearing face masks properly.”

It is a fact: the thing is merging usefulness with elegance.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff