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35053668-Empire-of-the-Soul-Paul-William-Roberts

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EMPIRE OF THE SOUL<br />

washing <strong>of</strong>f <strong>the</strong> dust I’d collected just by touching anything in my<br />

room, if I had time to see <strong>the</strong> entire Prado emblazoned on a single<br />

grain <strong>of</strong> rice, or whatever it was. I decided to go.<br />

Then <strong>the</strong>re was a rapping on <strong>the</strong> door. I hid in <strong>the</strong> bathroom,<br />

noticing a huge albino lizard lounging high up on one wall. Could<br />

<strong>the</strong> bhagwan have some sort <strong>of</strong> telepathic powers? He did have a<br />

terrifying sense <strong>of</strong> humour. I heard <strong>the</strong> unlocked door burst open.<br />

Ma Yoga Tantra flew through <strong>the</strong> air, gripping me in a steely<br />

embrace.<br />

‘I heard!’ she announced.<br />

She’d heard right, too. And she wanted a piece <strong>of</strong> my shakti force,<br />

since it was suddenly worth having, now that <strong>the</strong> bhagwan had<br />

personally recharged it, or refuelled it, or whatever she believed he<br />

had done.<br />

‘Listen,’ I said, ‘I must be honest with you . . .’<br />

On <strong>the</strong> way out, <strong>the</strong> desk clerk gruffly demanded about three<br />

cents for a Campa Cola I had no recollection <strong>of</strong> ordering. I would<br />

have paid thirty dollars if he’d waived <strong>the</strong> lengthy and complex<br />

receipt he spent fifteen minutes practising calligraphy on before<br />

allowing me to run all <strong>the</strong> way to <strong>the</strong> bus terminal.<br />

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