Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Sunday, April 10

Mitsuki always woke up at five in the morning. His routine was to take a bath, chanting with the monks with tea always on the serving, and meditating and then breakfast. They were not vegetarian, ate all types of meats. Today he dressed up in a full sleeved shirt, pants and a light jacket because San Francisco area was cold in the morning. He had a cup of green tea, breakfast was not ready yet, and he ate a banana and a bowl of cold rice. At 6 he set out for a long fifteen miles walk, with a map in his hand. He was not in particular rush, he was walking at luxurious pace. He walked for one hour, covered four miles and then stopped at a McDonald’s restaurant, he asked for a cup of water that was free. He was hungry and smell of food was very tempting but he carried no money with him, he left the restaurant and started walking again.
At 8 he had covered half of the distance to the SFO. A Chinese lady was watering her lawn, he requested her to let him drink water but she insisted him to come inside where she served him breakfast, tea and water. When he told her that he is a monk, is going to SFO, she offered him a ride but he declined. At 8.30, sun was rising; he started walking again but with faster pace, he took off his jacket and hung it on his shoulder.

2

Cynthia woke up at 7.30, asked her maid to make her a thermos flask full of green tea. She came on the on the beach, sat on a towel and drank tea in a china cup. She was enjoying the morning mist, cool air and the noise of crashing waves. At 9 she went back to the home, called Dr. Ryan, her phone call woke him up. She reminded him that he was to join her, to go to SFO to pick up Rishi. He said OK, she felt he was not happy about it, poor Ryan. His best friend died.
She took bath and dressed up and at 9.30 left the road, in the direction of Dr. Ryan’s apartment.

3

Cynthia’s call woke up Ryan. He was feeling sick and tired. After she ended the call, he lighted a marijuana cigarette but then he remembered that Cynthia hated smokers, he put it off.
Bitch–bitch-bitch-bitch-bitch-bitch-bitch-bitch …..
He caught himself chanting and slapped on the back of his head.
He still had the lighter in his hand, he heated a double dose of cocaine in the spoon and with one nostril closed, he sucked the white fuming powder with other. Instantly world became a heaven.

He was sure that nowhere his name was listed as HIV positive carrier. It was Nancy or either Bill Murphy, they will pay the price. He will kill them. Both used cocaine, and other drugs, killing them was easy. He knew many substances those he can use on them and ….. Finito. No problem. He should go along with his plan to infect Cynthia. He can easily prepare another fake witness; hundreds of girls were dying to marry him. Any two of the hospital staff will agree to go along with him. At least seven women physician and ten nurses in his same hospital were in love with him. Any other lawyer will take his case, happily, when the time comes. Nancy and Bill Murphy will die if they have to. He was made enough fool, enough delay was enough. Now he won’t be sucked into any other game. Finito.
He shaved, took a bath, had a cup of coffee, with a cookie he took an antibiotic. He still had low fever, took an antipyretic tablet. He checked emails, no new email from the bastard or bitch that was using the name Won Chin. He wrote him a cursive email. In a rush he dressed up, to avoid Cynthia to enter in his home, it was messed up and full of smoke smell. He looked his face in the mirror and smiled, everything was perfect. He took a V8 bottle from the refrigerator, walked out drinking it. He was eating so little in recent days, to provi

He walked to the parking lot but then remembered something, he was forgetting that massage spray he bought from Egyptian perfume shop. He returned to his home and picked up one bottle, put it in his pocket. When he arrived at parking lot, Cynthia was finding a parking spot in the visitor’s spots, none was empty. He shouted to her, she noticed and stopped her car, came out of it. They kissed and hugged.
“Ryan, we are getting late, get in the car.”
“How are you, Cynthia darling?”
“I am good, Ryan, and sorry about your friend.”
“Yeah, he was so young, just got married. His family and wife are devastated.”
Cynthia was shocked to hear this, she drove in silence.
“What gone is gone Cynthia, I am sorry I was not able to spend time with you but now on my life is yours. I will take you out today.”
“Thanks doctor, first let’s pick Rishi from SFO, you two will like each other and he is so funny.”
“He seems all-right in his pictures,” he said with a smile, “He must have some qualities that made you like him, so I will like him too.”
Seeing his smile, her heart fluttered and he knew it. It always happened.
He was to say something but his phone rang.

4


When stewardess woke up Rarisa, she was in Rishi’s lap, blanketed and her shoes removed. Embarrassedly she straightened up, looked at watch, she slept for five hours and Rishi looked tired.
“Oh, I am so Sorry, Rishi.”
Rishi smiled.
“Why you carried me for so many hours.”
“That was unconditional service.”
San Francisco was one hour away, last snacks and coffee was being served. They fell in chatting again. Rarisa was telling Rishi about here divorce.
“He was unfaithful but I accepted him as he was,” she said, “I hated some of his habits that were the main reason for separation.”
“What habits.” Rishi was curious.
She said, blushing, “Just some annoying habits, you know…”
“You should tell me before I start making weird guesses.”
She giggled, “He used to pick his nose, chewed his nails - like that.”
“I don’t have these bad habits.”
She laughed, “So after all that was not unconditional service.”
“That was unconditional.”
“Rishi,” she said, “I am ten years older than you, at least.”
“All I said that I don’t pick my nose and chew my nails – like that. You need not to jump to conclusion.”
She laughed again.
Rishi want to bathroom, he had a disposable shaving razor, toothbrush and toothpaste in his pockets; he shaved with the toilet soap, brushed his teeth and returned to his seat. They straightened their seats and snacks, coffee and a small mineral water bottle were served, vegetarian for Rishi and Fish for Rarisa. They ate their breakfast and had coffee. Rishi inserted his water bottle in the book holding net.
Rarisa asked, “so what do you do Rishi.’
“I am an engineer but currently unemployed.”
“I am a horticulture Scientist and Professor.”
“I guess you love your work.”
“Rishi, believe me, I really-really love my work.”
Rishi said, smilingly, “Lucky are the people who love what they do.”
“Do you love your work?”
“Yes. This makes us two lucky.”
She laughed. Stewardess collected the treys, they were instructed to wear seatbelts, and plane was preparing for landing. It was a clear morning, shore line of California was visible from the window; airplane was gradually descending. San Francisco metropolitan area begun appearing below soon city was visible. Straight roads were intersecting with each other and ascending or descending on the hills. Airplane made a circle on the bay and made a landing.
Plane was still on the taxiway, people stood up and begun opening the overhead luggage compartment but Rishi and Rarisa sat and waited till the doors were opened and almost everybody else was gone. They rose; Rarisa took out a small bag from already opened overhead luggage compartment. Rishi was not carrying any baggage in the cabin; he had everything in his pockets. Before walking in the aisle Rishi pocketed small mineral water bottle. They walked out; Rarisa was Unites States Citizen she had to take a different and faster queue so they split. After Rishi’s passport was stamped, they again met at the baggage claim area. She had already secured a cart.
Rishi’s backpack arrived first. He took it down on the floor.
He said, giving her a mischievous smile, “I must give you that perfume.”
He opened the small padlock and pulled out the polythene bag containing sniffing snuff pouch. He opened the polythene, and pulled out torn packet.
Rishi ordered, “Smell it.”
She sniffed the packet and begun sneezing and laughing.
“Didn’t I tell you, it feels awkward in the beginning but after twenty-four hours; you must smell me again.”
When her sneezing and laughing was under control, she said, “This is not any perfume, this is snuff, tobacco.”
“Yeah …. But you liked it. It accidentally fell on my clothes.”
She laughed. Rishi pulled his paperback from his pocket, tore a page, made a sachet, put the snuff in it and handed it to her. She gladly took it and put it in her bag.
She said looking at Rishi’s pockets, “You should be a magician.”
“I am a magician.”
“You are not joking again.”
He said, wearing his backpack on his shoulders, “Not this time.”
She saw her both suitcases on the belt; Rishi helped her to load the cart.
Rishi was pushing the cart, they walked to the customs area, and they had nothing to declare. They were walking in they area where relatives and people were waiting for passengers.
“Anybody is coming to pick you up?” she asked.
“Yes,” Rishi replied, “and to you?”
“No,” she sadly said, “I will be taking a taxi.”
Rishi looked around but Cynthia was not there yet. Rarisa was not in particular hurry; she asked Rishi to watch her luggage and went to restrooms to wash her face.

5

It was 10am, airport was still 2 miles away, Mitsuki was jogging. He was thirst and hungry. Now ways were becoming very confusing. It was getting difficult to find a suitable access to the terminal among the highways and bridges. He was soaked with sweat. He discovered he had lost his jacket; anyway he didn’t need it then, because he was flushing hot with exertion. He made it to the International Arrival Terminal Building at 11.30. He entered in the building. Flight has arrived; he looked around but suddenly discovered that he had a bird dropping on his shirt. He was shocked, this has to happen today, why did it happen?-Why?-Today?
He was already late and there was no time to go to washrooms, he may miss the Buddha who was there to give him water. He tried to get rid of the bird dropping stain with his handkerchief but it only spread wider. His mouth was dry and heart was beating faster.

5

It was 11.30am. Rarisa returned.
She said, “Bye Rishi and thank you.”
She turned, pushing baggage cart.
“Are you happy?”
She turned back, facing him. “No.”
Looking at his expressionless face she opened her purse and removed a business card.
”This is my card.”
“Thanks.”
“Bye then.”
“Bye then.”
She turned and began pushing her cart. Rishi’s had many things in his pockets; he removed his backpack, opened it to arranged things into it. He reached his front pocket and first thing he removed was mineral water bottle.
Rarisa was still within the reach, she was standing leaning upon the cart, talking to someone on her cell phone.
Rishi saw a middle aged man, probably Japanese, soaked in sweat, he looked very thirsty too. Since flight arrived from Tokyo, many Japanese people were around but Rishi’s eyes caught that man in particular. He has some stain on the second button of his white shirt. It was probably a bird dropping, was trying to clean it up with a handkerchief, with a very worried look on his face.
Rarisa ended her phone call, waived to Rishi and begun to turn.
“Rarisa, wait,” Rishi shouted.
“Yes.”
“Please come here.”
She left her cart and came to him. Rishi had his backpack at his feet, open, and half of its contents hanging.
Rishi said, looking at that Japanese man, “See, that man, trying to clean his shirt with a handkerchief.”
“Yes.”
“Please give him this water bottle,” Rishi said, handing her the water bottle.
“OK and bye.”
She walked to the man who was restlessly struggling to clean the stain off from his shirt.
She said, showing him the water bottle, “Hello, Sir, please use this water.”
The man almost jumped, looked at her.
She said, breaking the seal of the water bottle, “Please use this water.”
Mitsuki took the water bottle, his hand was trembling; he was trembling, eyes full of tears. She was confused and surprised. Man was trying to say something but words did not come from his lips.
She walked back to her cart, looked around but Rishi was not there. She pushed her cart to the direction indicating taxi signs.

6

Mitsuki heard a woman saying: Hello, Sir, please use this water.
He was startled and looked at her, a Japanese woman, a native of his own country.
Water! Buddha is giving me water.
He had never imagined, a Japanese woman will be giving him water. He was expecting the Buddha who met Cynthia in India, who, was suppose to be at the airport, same Buddha was to find him. It was a shock to him, he was trembling.
She said, breaking the seal of the water bottle, “Please use this water.”
Mitsuki took the water bottle; he was trembling, eyes full of tears. He tried to say something but his lips froze.
When he recovered from his shock the woman was gone and he was regretting. He looked at the water bottle, it was holy to him. He took a drop and closed the lid back. He was neither happy nor sad but in a shock. Of-course his vision came true. People do not get water at the airport at random, this was to happen and happened. His race was over but due to his shock he lost the Buddha but at-least he knew, it was a woman, Japanese. Now for the rest of his life he will be searching for her or she will find him again. If once she found him, she will find him again. Let the fate lead his life, he was now assured. He went to washroom, washed his stain off, and drank water from the water fountain.
He asked a Japanese man to let him use his cell phone to make a local call but he refused, he asked second and then third and then fourth, who gave him his cell-phone. He called Cynthia. She was waiting for his call in the parking lot. He gave her the news, she very happy. He didn’t tell her that his Buddha turned out a Japanese woman, but not the same, Rishi.

7

Cynthia picked up Ryan from his parking lot; she was hungry, ordered a grand breakfast in IHOP but was surprised to see when Ryan didn’t each much except pancakes with syrup. Recently Ryan was not getting hungry except for the sweet things. She ordered the waiter to prepare a take out breakfast and a bottle of orange juice for Mitsuki, anticipating he must be very hungry.

Ryan was trying to compensate his mineral needs with taking multivitamins and minerals etc. He started drinking V-8 juice. He also stopped drinking cold things, because cold things were giving him sore throat. He was guarding himself against viral infections. He knew virus load in his body was increasing at the dangerous level and actually he needed the full force of that load to infect Cynthia.
When they arrived at the airport at 10.30 Cynthia had to explain him why they must wait till her Buddhist instructor calls her. One hour they sat in the parking lot, Ryan was very desperate, was regretting not bringing that aromatic massaging liquid with him. That was the best opportunity.
They were sitting in the car.
Bill called Ryan, told him that insurance money will be arriving, straight to him and he was keeping that money in escrow till his accounts were settled. In the presence of Cynthia he remained polite with him. After the call ended, he went to restroom for a shot of cocaine because he was very restless.
He needed the money and another scheme formed in his brain.
He said to Cynthia, “I spent almost all of my life’s saving to save my friend and then to help his widow, now I have nothing left.”
“Oh poor Ryan, you are very generous,” she said, kissing him on his forehead.
“I even gave his widow, the money; the insurance company gave me for my BMW. Now I need to borrow some money from you.”
“Feel free to ask Ryan; what is mine that is yours too.”
He said, pretending to sigh, “Thanks, Cynthia.”
She removed her checkbook from her purse. “How much money you need Ryan?”
“Twenty thousand dollars will be ok, I will pay you back.”
She made a check of $15000.00 was going to tear it off from the book but her phone rung. It was Mitsuki, he gave her the happy news but spared the details. She thought so Rishi recognized him and gave him water. She let Ryan drive the car and
As the car ended she said, “Let’s walk to the terminal Ryan.”
They left the car and took the elevator to the International Arrival Lounge. They had to pick up both Rishi and Mitsuki.

Mitsuki was near the gate, he greeted them first, she introduced him with Ryan and handed him the package of breakfast and a bottle of orange juice. He sat on a chair and started eating. Cynthia looked around and found Rishi, he was with a Sikh man; they were in a fit of a laugh.
Rishi saw them first; he said a quick goodbye to his new friend and approached them. He recognized Mitsuk instantly because the stain on his shirt was wet but still dimly visible. He still had the same water bottle in his hand.
Cynthia hugged Rishi, Mitsuki was staring at him from head to toe.
Rishi said, shaking hands with Ryan, “You must be Ryan.”
Ryan gave him his famous phone smile.
“You must be Rishi, how are you?”
“I am fine but Ryan you have a fever.”
Ryan was stung. Cynthia touched Ryan’s forehead.
“Yes Ryan, I think you do have a fever.”
Ryan said, “Could be, due to three days of exertion in Sacramento and Fresno.”
While walking to the car, Cynthia told Rishi about Ryan’s friend and his visits to Sacramento and Fresno.
When they reached at the car, Cynthia opened the trunk, Rishi placed his backpack on the floor of trunk, opened it, from his medical kit he took put antiseptic ointment. Cynthia was looking at him with curiosity.
Rishi closed the trunk, squeezed the ointment on his finger.
“What happened Rishi, are you hurt?”
Rishi did not reply but took Cynthia’s arm and applied ointment on her bruised elbow. She was moved, tears fell from her eyes. Her father missed her wound, Ryan too missed to but Rishi did not.
“Ryan,” Cynthia said, motherly, sitting on the driver’s seat, “You should rest Ryan. I can take you to my home.”
“Thanks Cynthia, I am fine.”
Rishi said, “No Ryan you should rest, I can stay with you.”
Ryan shouted, “No, I can take care of myself.”
Rishi was making him nervous; he wanted to go home to smoke marijuana.
Cynthia said, “Ryan, you need not to be upset, we just want to rest. That’s all.”
“Just drop me at my home.” Ryan said, “Please.”
Ryan did not like Rishi, it was the hate at the first site.
They dropped Ryan at his apartment building entrance. As he got down the car, atmosphere in the car eased.
Cynthia asked Rishi, “I missed the fun you had with that Sikh fellow.”
“His name is Dharmapreet Singh; we discovered that we both belong to the neighboring villages.”
“What was so funny then?”
“He told me that everybody in my village is an idiot and I expressed my opinion that the wisest person of his village, possesses, equal intelligence as of the most idiot person of my village.”
This Cynthia and Mitsuki were laughing.
Rishi continued, “This was not the end, I representing the most idiot person of my village and considering he representing the wisest person of his village, I posed him a puzzle and he lost.”
“What was the puzzle?” asked Cynthia, laughing.
“That a train is moving at 50 miles and the smoke of the engine is moving at 30 miles an hour, what is my age?”
Their next stop was lunch in a Chinese Restaurant. They arrived at Buddhist center at 2pm.

Mitsuk found Rishi a very simple and ordinary person, except that he made people laugh. He thought Cynthia’s experience was a merely luck or coincidence, and in her reply - Rishi’s free ticket to USA was merely his luck or coincidence. But then he thought one thing lead to other. Divinity had arranged everything for his sake only. Had not Rishi coming to the airport; neither was he visiting three to meet that Japanese Buddha woman. Time to time he looked at Rishi or tried to feel his aura and concluded and counter-concluded. As they arrived there, Mitsuk wanted to have some private talk with Cynthia, Rishi roamed around in the Buddhist center. Mitcuk told her the whole story; she was disappointed to know that her Rishi didn’t turn out a Buddha for Mitsuk but anyway, deep inside she gave the matter a laugh. She knew what her Rishi was, and that was it.

Rishi found the atmosphere of Buddhist center very amusing. Maroon dressed monks were roaming everywhere or some sitting in line drinking tea and chanting. Some were meditating in the garden or under the trees, on the benches. He went to kitchen and tried various herbal teas. He took bath in a shared bathroom and changed clothes. In the laundry room monks were washing their clothes; he inserted his own clothes in the same laundry machine. He loved those herbal and gentle fragrances of incense stick. Cynthia was excited, after a session of tea, Mitsuk went to his office to attend the errands she sat with Rishi on the same bench she sat with Mitsuk, last night.
“So Rishi, this is my world.”
“It is amusing and peaceful,” Rishi approved with a nod.
She giggled, “It is not amusing to me.”
“I know,” he replied, “It is a university to you.”
“How you like Mitsuk?”
“He is a gently man and you also asked my opinion about Dr. Ryan.”
“Yes, how you like him?”
“Look you two are getting engaged in just six days so we don’t have many days left. I want to meet him, let’s say in some park. Bring him tomorrow to some park and you take some hike and leave me alone with him to talk.”
“That would be fine, “Cynthia said, “He too wants to take me to a park that is near our hospital.”
She added giggling, “He has some weird idea of giving me a neck message.”
He came to the point, straight. “OK let’s we three go to that park tomorrow, first you take a hike and I will talk with him and then I will take a hike and leave you two alone.”
“Yes OK, since his friend had an accident and then expired we hadn’t any time together.”
“We will have a little party in the park, just some soft drinks. We will buy them today on the way.”
“OK,’ she said cheerfully, “Sounds like a picnic. We will order pizza there.”
“Yeah, and then he can give you a massage and to me too.”
She laughed.
Mitsuk joined them, he offered a room to Rishi at anytime he wished to come over, he called a monk for a pot of herbal tea, this time it was jasmine. They had three cups, one after another and talked.

At 5.30pm Cynthia asked Rishi if he is ready to leave. Rishi went to laundry room, his clothes were lying creased. Monks had put his clothes in the dryer and had creased them. He packed his backpack and she drove in the direction of her home. On the way she stopped her car to buy drinks for the picnic in the park as Rishi had suggested. Sun was setting, she was too eager to reach home and then have a walk with Rishi at the beach. They entered in the wilderness, that was time to time broken by estate homes and surrounding lawns. Road came near the ocean and after a forest they entered in billionaire Russet Frazier’s estate.
Cynthia wanted to know Rishi’s expression, she drove slowly, he was watching. Nothing missed his eyes; Pacific Ocean, swimming pool, fountains, lawns cum golf-course, a very large helicopter with blinking lights and a thick round belly was on the helipad, atrium and chandeliers shining behind its dark walls, deck surrounding the home, a hill covered with redwood forest behind the estate. Cynthia drove around the porch and parked her car among other many other expensive cars in front of a seven car garage. She pressed the remote control button in her purse a garage door opened.
“Come Rishi, let’s meet daddy, it seems he is about to leave.”
Rishi walked behind her, garage led to a hallway, that lead to an open area, that lead to another open area and then they were in the theater sized atrium, overlooking the Ocean, hill, lawns, helipad and fountains. Forty feet high indoor trees were panted in huge sized pots around two giant fountains.
Mighty Russet Frazier saw them coming, he was dressed up in a suit, wearing arm support.
She said, kissing her father on the cheek, “Hi daddy, Rishi is here.”
Russet Frazier winked to Rishi.
“I am leaving, take care honey, “he said to Cynthia, rising from the sofa and ignoring Rishi.
“Where are you going daddy?”
He replied, walking to the door that led to the deck, “LA. I won’t wake you up. I’ll land at Oakland Airport.”
He didn’t stop to hear her protest, went out of the door, they saw him descending the stairs; helicopter’s rotors came to life before he climbed in the cab. They heard the roar of the rotors and whistling of the turbines, trees outside were agitating, water in the swimming pool stirred up violently and spilled to the edges. Helicopter rose to sky and disappeared behind the trees in the south.
“That’s the way daddy comes or goes, he is always on the move.”
Rishi was looking at the life sized trees in the atrium.
“Have a seat Rishi, what do you like to take tea, coffee or coke or ……”
“A glass of fresh water, not cold.”
Filipino maid heard him and brought the water in the crystal glass.
“I will go and change the clothes, Rishi.”
Cynthia left, Filipino maid begun preparing tea.
Rishi sat on the sofa, next to the water fountains under the Ficus Benjamina trees as he pressed to its back, a footrest slid out, after a little adjustment he reclined completely, closed his eyes and became one with the atrium, trees and fountains. He heard the footsteps of the maid and the clang when she placed the cup of tea on the small glass table, was hearing the noise of the water in the indoor water fountains, He heard the footsteps of Cynthia.
“You know Rishi, I am living in this home for many years, and I never sat on this sofa. Even the idea of sitting here never came to my mind.”
Rishi opened his eyes, she was standing by him. Maid handed a cup of tea to her and placed a plate full of cookies on the glass table, next to Rishi’s cup.
As Rishi straightened up sofa started to retract again. He picked up his cup, and asked Cynthia to sit on its cushy armrest. Back of the sofa was enough for two people, she too rested her back. They drank tea without speaking a word.
“Come; let’s take a walk before it gets dark,” she said.
Rishi followed her, she opened the door and let him go out first and took him to beach. He touched the water, it was cold, and he opened his shoes and removed his socks and threw them far away. Following him, she threw away her beach sandals. They walked at the edge of water in the silence, waves wetting their feet. They returned when it was getting dark.
On the way back Cynthia told him about her experience in the woods, he did not reply her. They entered in the home through a back door. Dinner was ready, steamed vegetables, oriental style, rice and various types of breads. After dinner they had another small walk and then they sat at the beach, a lone sea lion also came and barked upon them and then settled far away from them. At quarter to ten Rishi followed her back in the home. She gave him a tour of the home, showed him all nooks and corners. From her room she picked an open box containing a new cell-phone and charger, and an envelope containing the money.
“You will be staying downstairs,” she said, “I will show you your room, it is by the pool.”
Rishi followed her to the downstairs and she opened a door, it was a suite, living area, bedroom, bathroom and a small furnished kitchen with stove and refrigerator. Swimming pool and was visible from inside windows and a door to outside.
She said, placing cell-phone next to the TV, “This is your cell-phone. Always keep it with you. I have charged it and my number is already stored in your phone book.”
She opened a drawer and put the envelope in it. “It is some money, feel free to use it.”
“Thank you very much Cynthia.”
“Good night Rishi,” she said, yawning, “I made sure there are beers in the refrigerator. More beer and liquor is in the bar, just make a right from the door and you will see it.”
“Good night.”
She went to her room to sleep, it was a long day.
Rishi wanted to fresh air, he opened the door and walked outside again to the beach. Sat there for half hour and at 10.30pm he returned but his door was locked automatically. He tried other doors, all were locked. There was a keypad with each door for a password. Cynthia forgot to tell Rishi that after 10pm, security system locked all doors. Access was only possible by punching password. It was getting cold; all Rishi wanted was to sleep off his jetlag.
He went to parking area, one by one motion sensor lights turned on. Cynthia’s car was still unlocked; he opened the trunk and took out his backpack. He brushed his teeth from a garden hose and tried to sleep in the car but it didn’t offer much leg room. Night was cold. Rishi wore two pants and two shirts and found a concrete slap under the deck. He lay there, wearing his shoes and using his backpack as pillow and fell to a dreamless sleep in the cold of the night.

8

Rarisa was awake, thinking about the stranger – Rishi she sat with, in the airplane. She made the trip to Tokyo at least fifteen times in her life but first time she fell to sleep in the airplane. She fell to sleep in a stranger’s lap who kept there as she was a baby, put a blanket over her and took off her shoes, made her laugh.
She was moved by his gesture to give water to another stranger. He made her do that because his backpack was lying spilt on the floor in the crowd. She would never have done that small useless thing but after all it was not useless thing. Japanese man was so spellbound by her giving his water and she too became nervous and walked away but she will never forget that incidence, the face of the Japanese man, act of the stranger – Rishi. She gave him her card, wish she would have asked him his email address or contact phone in United States. Hope he won’t throw away or lose her card. Hope he would contact her or email her.

9

Dr. Ryan was very drowsy but failed to sleep even after a. He hated Rishi for exposing his fever; he hated his face, his laughs. A layman told a doctor that he had fever that was an assault on his integrity. He was losing valuable time, he was made fool for three consecutive days and lost three days, today – another day was lost due to this unemployed freeloader Rishi. Cynthia wrote him a check but she was so involved in the Rishi and she forgot to hand him and he was so full of hate towards Rishi he wanted to get out of the car and forgot to ask her for the check. Hope tomorrow she will bring it to him, without him reminding her.
He said to himself that enough was enough. Tomorrow he will be taking her to the park and inject her with a drop of blood to infect her. It was now or never, and then she may not have any-time with him because only six days were left for the formal engagement ceremony.

10

Mitsuk was also thinking about Rishi, he had his own doubts. Rishi was as mortal as he was himself, some coincidence made Cynthia revere him. He was sure; of-course fate used Rishi to make him meet his Buddha, the Japanese woman who gave him water at the airport. He was near his goal; creation was conspiring to arrange things for him. He fell to sleep in his joy.