I spent an afternoon walking up and down Telegraph Avenue with a clipboard interviewing people about their daydreams. This is what I found.

Mr. A, found by the taqueria in front of Bing Wong Wash Centre

He daydreams about the future of the world. AI replacing all our jobs, living to survive, anything human going out the window. How long will any of this last?

He dreams of happier days in San Diego with his girlfriend. Going to the Petco park, watching some baseball together, in the warm summer air. Spending time on the beach surfing, maybe playing a bit of pool at the bar later.

Sometimes, less now, Mr. A drifts back to traumatic memories. A few months ago he was badly beaten up in a fight. He goes back to the shame and humiliation. Over time the memory is being washed away.

Mr. J, playing the guitar on top of a waste bin

“I dream about peace and justice”…. “also drumming on stage with the Dead.”

Mr. W, rolling back on forth on a skateboard with goofy sunglasses

W dreams of playing music for a crowd. People, but not too many, enough to get the energy going whilst keeping it intimate. He plays indie rock, guitar and singing. His friends are there, he’s got a sweet band.

The GF is at the front or the side; he is newly in love and spends a lot of time daydreaming about beautiful memories, new and old. v

Other times his mind goes to regrets when he was “not getting at it” hard enough. What would life have looked like? But these are, to him, just passing clouds, grey, white, sun, he know it’s going to be okay.

Miss S. Sitting with her dog by the fountain

72 years old, she has a lifelong daydream: to be an outfielder with the San Francisco Giants alongside Willy Mays:

She also dreams of travelling the world (although has already done much). Morocco, India, but not China (looks worriedly at her dog). And certainly not her ex-husband.

Miss M, Sitting By the Entrance to the Biology Building

Dreams of talking to her family in Malawi, in the living room (three white walls, one dark orange wall), filled with natural wood and big windows. Malawan dad, German mother. Nostalgia.

In her dreams, M is a little child. This is intentional. It was a time when life was simpler, with fewer problems. M loves children, and wants to work in post-partum care. She daydreams of playing with her future children (two little boys), and her boyfriend teaching them how to play American football.

Mr. H, sitting on his bike scrolling

H has mild aphantasia. Daydreams of feelings rather than images. He reviews the day, thinking of when things went bad and other possible scenarios. He dreams often of hypothetical romances.

Sometimes, H dreams so vividly his face changes and he gets embarrassed.

Ms. A, walking along with books in her hand

Dreams of being somewhere else, and about her future reading. She has a library in her head with all the books she is going to read when she has the time.

She dreams of her boyfriend proposing to her, but the situation is always changing, always the next horizon. She keeps the details low, suspended in vagueness, because if she makes it specific the dream turns dark and unsettling and she no longer wants it anymore.

During exams, she dreams of getting in her car and driving away. A plane will not do, it has to be a road trip. She dreams of driving into the sunset, gone, ego-death, self-dissolving.

Mr. Q, found petitioning people to protect the BART

He dreams of Taiwan, the unfamiliarity, the odd tastes and smells. He remembers above all the tastes and the feeling of exploration.

Mr Q. wants to move to a bigger city. A year or so ago he was in love but she has faded from view. Now he dreams of being loved and loving, but this has gone beyond any specific girl.

Mr. S, one tooth, staring blankly at the skyline

Working out his food budget. $4 for Avocado, $5 for chicken, and how many days it will last.

S spends most of his time thinking of the ‘Hubrids.’ Human-alien hybrids who have been replacing humans. He lives with 4 Chinese hubrids. You know they are hubrids because they get basic things wrong – they don’t take the garbage out, they forget to flush the toilet, they breastfeed without milk.

“See, they haven’t learned yet even though they are adults.”

Otherwise, he dreams of all the “Crazy shit” women have said to him. A Chinese woman: “When I am married, can we still have sex?”,

“What a beautiful thing to say, don’t you think?”

Mr. D, cleaning Telegraph Avenue

He dreams of playing American football (as the running back), swift moves, swift moves. The crowd screaming. Sometimes quick, sometimes strong, sometimes hard to tackle. How you play football, he says, is an art, it shows you who you are.

D dreams of getting married soon “all in good time, once I’ve built my life up.” Does he dream of his kids playing American football?

“Nah, I’ll let them do whatever they love. I’ll pick it up, show them I care.”