Sati (6 page)

Satistopped and smelt the rose.' I am through lecturing for tonight. I won't be taking questions. But I will be giving another talk tomorrow night at eight o'clock. It will take place in the community room of the bank on the corner of Third and Wilshire. Feel free to come, and if you wish, bring your family and friends. Now we will close with a minute of silence. And before you leave, have some of my cookies.

This girl spent half the day baking them.'She nodded.' Close your eyes.'

This time she meant a minute when she said itI had scarcely begun to settle when she stopped me. What was interesting was that I had even begun to relax at all in so short a time. There was a vibe in the room that was sucking me into myself. I was dumbfounded.

The cookies were excellent. Tiny shortbread cakes, they had raspberry jam in the centre and icing and sliced cherry pieces on top. I ate half a dozen.

The group left slowly. Leaning against the back wall with Linda and Nick and munching on the goodies,I watched as the people went up to Sati and introduced themselves. They mainly thanked her for her lecture and her' meditation'.I hadn't even known we were meditating. She shook each of their hands and beamed when they told her how peaceful they had felt while sitting with their eyes shut. My amazement continued to grow.

'Did she hypnotise us or what?'Nick asked.

'She didn't plant any suggestions before she had us close our eyes,'I said.

'Not verbally, you mean,'Linda said, watching as Jenny stayed close to Sati's side.'H er body language is extremely suggestive of easiness and relaxation.'

"Then you felt relaxed?'I asked.

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Lindashrugged.'Iusually do whenI sit with my eyes closed.'

'I've never felt that relaxed,'Nkk said.' Not even when I've been stoned.'

David also thanked Sati for her talk.As he was leaving, he gestured to me.' Could I have a word with you outside, Mike?'

'Sure,'I said.

We stopped in front of the apartments beside his Ferrari. The night was warm and clear, with a gentle salty breeze coming from the ocean."T hat girl's the most incredible person I've every seen in my life,'

David said with feeling.

'You liked her talk that much?'

'Who cares about her talk? It's the way she handles herself that gets me. What charisma! What a face!

That girl's going places.'

'If you believe what she says, she's already been everywhere.'

'I'm serious, Mike. I wantyou to keep her around. Don't let her get away. I know what, I'll give her an apartment for free.'

'But they're all taken,'I said.

'Oh, yeah. Well, keep her at your place.'

'But what if she doesn't want to stay at my place?'

'Make her comfortable. Feed her and flatter her. Just keep your eye on her.'

'But why?'

David was getting impatient' You saw the way those people reacted to her. She's got something.'

I paused.'F red said that.'

'You should listen to him. There's magic there, I can feel it.'

'So?'

'So we can't let it get away.'

'Dave, we can't tell her what to do.'

'We're not. We're just helping her out. You're the one who said she didn't have a purse or any money.

What's wrong with taking careof her?'Hed apped me on the arm.' Besides, how can you complain abouts leep-ing in the same place as her?'

'If she wants to stay for a few days, that would be fine with me. But I'm going to let her make up her
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own mind. From what I've seen of her, she's going to do that, anyway.'

David wasn't satisfied with my attitude. He started to get in his car.' Thanks for inviting me tonight,Mike.'

'Coming tomorrow?'I asked.

'You can count on it. Good night.'

Linda and Jenny met me near the pool as I walked back to my place. Atthat moment,the young couple who had shown up first waved to us astheywent out the back way. They werebothsmiling.

'They had fun,'I observed.

Linda was swinging Jenny in her arms.' Thisli ttle girl has had too much fun today. She told me how you buried her atthe beach.'

'Nick made me do it.'Linda wasn't mad about it,which surprised me. But not nearly as much as didthe envelope she pulled out of her back pocket She handed it to me.

'Iknow you told me to mail it to you, but this way you get it a day less late.'She gave me a quick kiss on the lips.'H appy birthday, Mike.'

It was just a store-bought birthday card — an undistiguished one at that — but for me it put a pleasant finish tothe evening.' I hope it doesn't shrink when I wash it,'I gushed.

'You don't wash it, Daddy,'Jenny said.' You put it inthe drawer.'

I messed up my daughter's hair.' Did you like Sati's meeting?'

'Uh-huh.'

'Didn't you want to get up and walk around when we were all sitting withour eyes closed?'I asked.

'I had my eyes closed, too!"

'But didn't you feel bored?'

Jenny didn't understand how I could be so dense.'I was happy. I want to sitwith Satilots of times.'

'Where willSad be staying tonight?'Linda asked.

'Probably at my place.'

Had I been hopingf or a sign of jealousy, I would have been disappointed. But my expectations were more realistic than that. Despite her outburstthat afternoon about me bringing a blonde home to play with, Linda wanted me dating.

'That's nice,'she said.' Keep in touch.'

'Of course,'I said.

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I ran into Nick and Fred going up my stairs.Fred was excited. He appeared to have infected Nick.

'Mary just got home,"Nick said.' I've got to tellher about this girl. Going to be around tomorrow?'

I shook my head.'I 've got a load to pick up early and take to Phoenix."

Nick headed for his door.' See you Wednesday, then. Take care of yourself.'. When he was gone, Fred laughed.' Convinced, Mike?'

'Of what?'

'Come off it! She's got incredible vibes. I saw you when we opened our eyes that first time. She'd zapped you, too.'

'Somehow, I never pictured God going around zapping people, Jesus didn't do that inthe Bible.'

'I bet he did.'

And just this morning Fred had taken everything I said as gospel. We could argue about it later, I decided. I nodded towards my wide-open door.' Is Satidone visit-ing with the people?'I asked.

'Yeah, except for Mrs Hutchinson.'

'Swell.'

Fred wasn't worried. ‘Satican handle her. I can't wait untilto morrow. I'm going to bringLori . I told Sati about her and she wants to meet her.'

'Did you get your car fixed?'

Fred nodded absendy.' Yeah. It was the battery cable.'

'Burned out?'

'No, it had fallen off. I better get to bed, Mike.' 'Since when do you go to bed before midnight?'He yawned.' Sadtold me to go rest.' 'That sounds like good motherly advice.'Upstairs, Mrs Hutchinson was hammering on Sati, for all the good it was doing.

'You're such a pretty and intelligent girl,'Mrs Hutchin-son was saying.' You could do almost anything.

Why are you wasting your life going around spouting nonsense? You're not just deceiving people, you know, you're com-mitting a sin against our Lord.'

'Don't worry about me,'San said. “I’ll be fine."'But what you're saying is atrocious! It violates scripture!'

Sati was patient.' You're a good person. I know you wish me the best But your concerns are misdirected. Go and rest now. Tomorrow,you will come to the meet-ing, and things will become clearer for you.'She raised her hand as Mrs Hutchinson went to blast her again.' Enough said, Carol. Go to bed.'

Mrs Hutchinson froze for a moment, then did as she was told. She stalked past me. The great vibes apparently hadn't infected everyone, I thought. I hadn't known her first name was Carol.

Sati hardly seemed to know I was there. Taking a seat on the couch, I watched as she stared off into
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empty space for a full minute. In that time, she didn't blink once. I wasn't even sure if shebr eathed.

Finally, she said,' Michael, you're coming to the meeting, too.'

'I'm afraid that's impossible. I have to go to Phoenix.'I pulled my schedule book from a drawer inthe coffee table.' See, I have to pick up a load of books inthe valley tomorrow and deliver them in Phoenix.'

Sati pluckedthe schedule from my hands and studied it.' There is aJesse written here. Is he scheduled tomorrow?''Jesse's my partner. Well, I call himthat He's actually more of an employee. He has tomorrow off.'

''He hasyourothertruck?'

I had to assume Fred had told her I had two of them.

'Yeah.'

Sati closed the schedule book, her expression still far away.' You need to rest,'she said.

'Yeah, I was thinking of turning in soon. I have to beup at four. You can havethe bedroom. I don't mind the couch.'

'You will sleep in your own room,'

'But I'll be getting up early. I'll wake you.'

'I will be up before you,'she said.

'But you've been going since I picked you up. You must be exhausted.'

'I am never tired.'

'But you do sleep?'

'I rest.'

'Did you get something to eat this evening?'I'd forgotten dinner, myself.

'I'lleat tomorrow. Go to bed, Michael. Your body needs to assimilate what you experienced tonight.'

'What did I experience?'

Sati looked at me closely.' The experience explains itself. Words don't explain it.'

Her seriousness did not make me uncomfortable.In deed, it struck me then that for someone I hardly knew
-
someone who could at best be described as unusual -I felt totally at ease with her.

'But you still think of yourself as a person, don't you?'I said.' You said tonight you were a girl.'

She nodded.' I am a girl.'

'Do you have parents?'

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'No.'

'Did you ever have parents?'

'Iam self-born. This body you see came into being fourd ays ago inthe desert, near where you met me.'

That was quite a statement' What were you doing out there before I came along?"

She touched my outstretched knee.' I was waiting for you."

'Why me?'

'There is a reason for everything.'

'Are you going to tell me what it is?'

She squeezed my leg and let go.' Not tonight.'

'When?'

'Before I leave.'

'When are you going to leave?'

'When this body dies.'

FIVE

When I awoke, I knew immediately I wasn't going to Phoenix that day. The sun was streaming through my open window at a steep angle, which it did not do at four in the morning. A glance at the clock told me I had oversleptsixhours. It was five after ten.I felt behind theclock and discovered the alarm switch pressed in. I knew fora fact I had pulled it out before going to sleep.

There was a note taped on the inside of my bedroom door, printed in neat ink letters on a piece of notebookp aper.

Michael,

Jesse picked up the books and is on his way to Phoenix.

Sati

I wasn't mad. I felt too refreshed to be mad. It had probably been the best night's sleep I'd had since I was ten years old. Also,I should have seen it coming. Jesse's number had been listed in the schedule book, and Sati had made a point of the fact that Jesse was going to be available.

She was nowhere to be found. In the bathroom, I discovered a slightly damp towel and a few strands of long blonde hair in the bathtub. So our resident Goddess did get dirty and shed her hair, I thought.

The only available shampoo was in a brand-new bottle that Satihad not troubled to open. But turning on
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the water, I had to wonder if she hadn't used somekind of soap. The tub smelt faintly of honey.

When I came out of the shower, I found Mary Dorado, Nick's girlfriend, knocking onthefront door. She had a huge box of clothes in her hands. Because she waspregnant, I immediately snatched it out of her hands. I had treated Linda the same way when she was carrying Jenny. And of course it had irritated her.

'This is heavy, Mary,'I said.' You shouldn't have carried it upthe stairs. What's it for, anyway?'

'Sati.'

Mary and Sati had similar bodies. I glanced in the box.' These look like your best clothes.'

Mary nodded. She did not talk a lot,although not forthe obvious reason. Despite being an illegal alien and having been inthe country lessthana year, her English was excellent. She was just, in Nick's words,'

respectful'.She had been born in a tiny village in Nicaragua, and had left with her mother and two sisters when her father had been' accidentally'killed by soldiers. Whothese soldiers were, Contras or Nicaragua nmilitary personnel, was not clear. I suppose it didn't really matter. Mary had made her way north over a period of six months. She was now a seamstress in a shop owned bythe same people Mrs Hutchinson had worked for. Like so many other illegal aliens in SouthernCalifornia, she lived in fear of being caught by an immigration official. Poor Nick, he had a lot of reasons why he had to many her.

'Where is she?'I asked, motioning Mary inside, happy forthe clothes. The previous night,I had offered Sati a pair of shrunken sweats to sleep in. I didn't know if she had usedthem.

'Mrs Hutchinson is showing her parts ofthe Bible,'Mary said.

'Have a seat onthe couch. Really? That would be fun to watch. I take it Sati is holding her own.'

'Yes.'

'Would youlikesomethingto drink?'

'No, thank you.'Mary sat down.' Sati told me to tell youshe would be making your breakfast.'

Ilaughed and pulledup a chair across front Mary.' I haven't had anyone make me breakfast since, why,th elast time you made it for me. I hope she's half as good a cook."Mary blushed shyly. I went on,'Have you spoken to Sati much?'