Tuesday 19 April 2016

Tuesday, April 12th, 2016

Tuesday, April 12th, 2016
Miami, Florida

Meeting Tom

Since my arrival here, walks were frequent enough.  Once, along the docks at Coconut Grove, and then taking shape as public chanting-- hobbling along Lincoln Road on Miami Beach.  However, this morning I constrained myself happily to pacing within the temple walls on Virginia Street.  It was on the plane back to Canada that became my public time, especially with Tom.  Tom is a rather large built man who is around sixty, who asked me, upon knowing I am his neighbouring passenger, “Are you a Buddhist monk?”

“No, I’m a Krishna monk.”

“Oh, Hare Krishna?”

“Yes!”

“I used to go to your temple on Sundays for the feast.”

“Really, on Avenue Road?”

“Yeah.”

“That was probably in the late 70’s?”

“Yeah, probably!  I was living on the streets at the time, and you guys helped me.”

“What are you doing now?” I asked him.

“I’ve got a business, a trucking business, a multi-million dollar business.”

“Great!”

He asked, “Are you guys still doing the Sunday thing and doing the chanting ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare….?”

“We sure are!  We can’t let it go.”

Tom and I hit it off real well.  And then the elderly lady sitting to the other side of me caught on to the conversation.  We chatted about pilgrimage and cracked some jokes amongst the three of us.  The flight was fast.  I made it home, only to meet another Tom.

May the Source be with you!

4 km

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