I Dream About You.

This will undoubtedly be one of the most unbelievable stories that I'll tell. I promise it's true, and it's something that I am still trying to wrap my brain around sixteen years later.

We're going back to my banking days. It's 2007, and I'm 23 years old. I am still the head teller. I was completing my hypnotherapy schooling and getting ready to exit the world of banking. Well, that was the plan at least, but as I have learned, life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. But I digress.

A new customer appeared at the branch one day. When he walked in, it felt remarkably like the slow-motion-montage in the movies. He was a striking man. He had piercing blue eyes, naturally tanned skin, and light brown hair with sandy blonde highlights. This wasn't the work of a salon either. He was covered in dirt and what appeared to be cement. He was incredibly attractive, but what struck me was this wasn't a lusty/romantic attraction. Our eyes met and continued to meet while he was in the branch. I wasn't the teller that helped him that day, but he had certainly caught my attention.

Roughly a month goes by, and he comes back into the bank. I smiled and nodded hello. There was a massive lineup of people, and we, once again, found ourselves exchanging glances. He stopped at the door as he was leaving, waited for me to look up, nodded then left. He was incredibly alluring. When there was enough of a break in the lineup of clients, I went to the teller who had served him and asked for his name. They hadn't been paying enough attention and didn't know who I was talking about. Adonis was standing before my coworker, and they couldn't remember. Unbelievable.

The following month I had a dream. I was in an enormous stone castle. It was dark and empty. I'm in a large, dark room, lit only by the grandest fireplace I have ever seen. There's a bear skin rug under me, and I'm sitting on my knees, mesmerized in front of the raging fire. In walks the man from the bank, along with the twin girls from "The Shining." I have a terrible headache in my dream, and the man stands behind me. He gently places his hands on either side of my head. The twins are standing beside us, and my headache is gone within moments. That's when I woke up.

What an odd dream, I thought to myself. It was so realistic and memorable. To my amazement, he came into the bank that day. What a strange coincidence! We did as we had always done: a lot of looking at each other, but again he didn't end up at my wicket. Goddamnit, I thought to myself! I'm intrigued by him. There's a magnetism that is difficult to explain. Yes, he was very attractive, but again that wasn't it. The best thing I can compare it to is if a celestial being had walked into the bank. There was just something about him.

This occurred for several months, with every branch visit preceded by this same dream. I genuinely can't believe nor explain what was going on. This next particular visit: again with another teller, but this time when he left, she was ashen. The colour had completely drained from her face, and she stood misty-eyed and stunned. She turned and ran for the bathroom. After several minutes I went in to check on her. She was shaking and crying.

"Hey! Oh my God! What happened?" I asked while studying her carefully. I could see in her eyes that her mind was racing.

After a while, she said, "That customer...he...he knew I had a headache. He told me he could feel it. He asked me to lean forward. He put his hands on my head, and my headache is gone." The colour once again drained from her face.

I was stunned. Beyond stunned. How do you respond to that? I think the colour also drained from my face at that moment.

"How is that possible?" she asked.

I didn't have an answer. I didn't know. Given her state, I didn't mention the recurring dream to her, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. My own hands became cold and clammy as I tried to reconcile what just happened.

As was the pattern, another month went by, and I had that identical dream. And wouldn't you know it, the mystery man came into the branch. This time he found his way to my wicket. When I tell you, it was electric when he stood before me... Lord have mercy. It seemed like his eyes bore into my soul. I don't think I've ever felt so naked without being naked: in my life. I have no idea how long we stared at each other. But I was suddenly possessed by an uncouth urge:

"I HAVE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING" I practically shouted right at him.

Smooth, Sarah. That's one way to introduce yourself. Good job.

He held eye contact. But he didn't say a word to me.

"I dream about you right before you show up at the bank. The same dream. For months." I continue

Not inappropriate at all. What an effective way to get fired. Or a restraining order against you. Probably both.

I proceeded to fill him in on the details of the dream because I had an explosive case of verbal diarrhea.

His eyes widened when I mentioned the twins, he cocked his head to the side, smirked, and said, "how did you know that?"

My eyebrows furrowed as I replied, "know what?"

"I have twin daughters," he said, "I'm a shaman. As a medicine man, my totem is the bear. How did you know that?"

I didn't know that! How could I possibly have known that?

We dillydallied through that branch visit. I didn't want him to leave because there was something so spellbinding about whatever this thing was between us. It's also worth noting he was much older than I was. He was so taken by my dream- that he gave me his phone number and asked if we could talk more about it. He told me he was in a relationship and clearly stated that this wasn't a pass. I was also in a relationship and not remotely interested in anything romantic. In retrospect, I think this may have been the universe trying to save me from the next thirteen years of my life. Hindsight: always 20/20!

I called him, and he brought his partner into the call. This was all so strange we decided to grab a coffee and talk in person. He kept asking how I knew what I knew. His girlfriend was also amazed by it. We spent countless hours together that day, talking. They were lovely people, and we became fast friends. Not long after that, he would know when something was off with me.

He had been working out of the province, and we hadn't talked in a few weeks. I had been down with a cold and a pretty severe ear infection. I hadn't made my way to the clinic yet when I got a call out of the blue from my friend:

"GODDAMNIT SARAH!" he shouted into the phone. "DO YOU HAVE AN EAR INFECTION IN YOUR LEFT EAR?" His gruff voice continued.

"Yes!" I replied, flabbergasted. How did he fucking know that!?

"It's been driving me crazy for days! I'm coming back into town, and I'm going to make you some medicine."

"I'm going to go to the clinic," I said.

"No, just wait for me to get back into town." He retorted.

And he did just that. He was Métis and made a herbal remedy that tasted like he had boiled one of his work boots with dirt and weeds, but you know what? It worked. It rapidly cleared up that infection.

There was no shortage of weird things like that. It was truly remarkable. For example, he knew my mother had a brain tumour without being told. And it seemed that just as mysteriously as he entered my life, he was gone. I have no idea what ever happened to him. I think of him quite often. He was a fascinating and lovely man. I hope life has been kind to him and his loved ones.

I've wondered if he was a spirit guide meant to guide me off the path that I was on. But I was just too stubborn (in love). Whatever the case, I will forever cherish that magical, mystical connection with a completely random (?) person. I hope everyone gets to experience something like that in their lives. Something that, at the very least, will always leave you wondering what exists "out there/up there" or helps you to believe in magic.