Paging, this is Nathan.

I need you to page the on-call doctor right away.

Okay, and what is this concerning?

I need to discuss the color of my dreams.

Is this an emergency?

Yes.

And what color are your dreams?

Purple, with hints of canary yellow and burnt sienna.

And what color is your phone right now?

Purple.

And your hands?

Purple.

You’re still dreaming. Please wake up and call again later.

Nathan J. Reid’s work has been published in various journals and anthologies, translated into Chinese, and performed for the stage and radio. He has two poetry collections published by Finishing Line Press, Thoughts on Tonight (2017) and Persistence of Perception (2021). Learn more about him at nathanjreid.com.