| Friend's Death Doyle, 46, avian carver, Amarillo, Texas Fall 1997
I am a sculptor. Richard, a friend of mine, is also a sculptor -- a very good one as a matter of fact. Another friend of mine, Dick, is a wildlife photographer.
In my dream, I am first riding in a helicopter with Richard. He's the pilot. He lands the helicopter and as the blades start to slow down, he gets out, leaving me in the helicopter. I get out next, and the helicopter starts to take off because my weight difference is enough to hold the copter down while the blades are still slowly spinning.
The next thing I know, I'm in a car with Richard and Dick. They drop me off at my house and when I go in, I get a phone call from Dick. He tells me that Richard's wife just called and said that she had found Richard dead in the front seat of his car which was sitting in their driveway.
Doyle's Interpretation
Richard is a very good artist. It bothers me when he shows me a sculpture in progress, then never finishes it. I think he gets his reward from showing it, and thus never completes it. This frustrates me very much because his work is so good.
When I'm sitting in the helicopter, Richard is showing me something new and wonderful that he has done (i.e. like flying a helicopter). Richard's act of stepping out of the helicopter is representative of showing me his new project. My act of stepping out of the helicopter represents me seeing the new artwork. The helicopter flying off represents the loss of the work because it is never finished after it is viewed.
I'm a bit competitive when it comes to my art. Richard's death represents me in the act of killing him to rid myself of the competition -- a competitor who can do things that I cannot.
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