The Dharma Revelation

Chapter 2

"I'm sorry I'm late, Antonio," Daniel said. He tossed his keys onto the table and scooted into the booth. Across from him sat a slightly pudgy Hispanic man with soft features. He was idly playing with his coffee cup.

"No worries, my friend," the man said happily.

Daniel noticed there was a woman's coat and purse on his side of the booth.

"You just missed her," Antonio said. "She went to the ladies room."

"I wasn't sure if she was joining us or not."

"You're lucky she likes you," Antonio said with a smile. "It seems there is not enough in the Rosary Wish to cover all of the new people joining my clinic."

Daniel grabbed a bread roll and winced, as if he knew that already.

"It's not only a financial issue," Antonio said. "I run the clinic by myself, Daniel. With all of the cases you send to me, I simply cannot keep up."

"Didn't Grace give you funds to hire some help?"

Antonio grunted, "Those funds barely cover my operating expenses. I do not understand how you two are doing this money laundering, but I—"

"That's such an ugly term," a woman said, interrupting him and motioning Daniel to scoot in.

She had red hair and fierce blue eyes, which were in contrast to her gentle, down-to-earth demeanor.

"Hello Grace," Daniel said, moving in so she could join them.

"Hello Father Daniel," she said with a sharp smile.

Antonio cleared his throat, "I was just explaining to Daniel the state of our financial situation."

"Lovely," Grace said.

Daniel sighed, "I know things are tight right now, All I can ask is that you do your best until things even out."

"Excuse me," Grace reached over Daniel and grabbed her purse. "If I didn't know better, I would think you were a politician."

She dug through her purse and pulled out a small blue notebook.

"We still have about three K," she said. "But that's not going to last." She glanced at Antonio for confirmation as she leafed through her notebook.

"No," he agreed. "Our costs have doubled from what they once were. That much won't last the month."

"Doubled," Grace repeated as she found the page she wanted. "Rosary Wish. Thirty-two hundred; I was right. If costs have doubled, then we're going to have to transfer from Victrolla."

"No," Daniel disagreed immediately.

"Why not?" she asked

"We can't touch Victrolla for at least another five months," Daniel said firmly.

"Do I want to kn—"

"No you don't," he interrupted her.

Antonio sighed uncomfortably. "Father, the bottom line is, I fear that if you continue to send me new cases, I may have to start turning them away."

"Well, that's why we're here," Grace said. "It's obvious to all of us that this system is working, yes?"

Antonio nodded, "We've helped a lot of children, especially teens. Arguably more than all of the other local clinics combined." He smiled with pride, "You should see the improvements in them, the growth. By the time they leave, they are emotionally whole again."

"That's why we have to keep it floating, regardless of the cost," Daniel said. "These kids have no one else."

"But we're out of money," Grace said.

Daniel thought for a moment, and then said, "What if you front the cost for now from See Water, then in five months you can reimburse your account from Victrolla?"

Grace looked at him, "See Water is my home business."

"Meaning?" Daniel asked.

"You know the meaning," she slapped his arm with her notebook. "There is no money in there outside of my personal funds."

"Victrolla has close to six figures," Daniel reminded her. "You are welcome to it, as long as you wait."

Grace looked as if she were struggling with the idea.

"Write the parish a check for ten thousand," Daniel explained. "Write it off as a See Water donation. I'll put that money in Rosary Wish; we'll pass that off to Antonio so he can continue God's work. With that kind of buffer, Rosary Wish will grow, as it has been. Then in five months, we'll funnel money down from Victrolla back to See Water."

Grace responded, "That's not bad. Except, I am short funds until then."

"Only a little," Daniel winked at her.

"Who is the accountant for Victrolla?" Antonio asked.

"I am," Grace answered.

"The same accountant as Rosary Wish and See Water," Daniel said extravagantly, chiding her, "and probably many other suspicious companies we don't know about."

"Fine," she agreed, ignoring his friendly jab. "But while we are on the topic of questionable practices, I have to ask if you've heard of this consciousness experiment that's been in the news recently?"

As the waitress came and took their orders, Daniel answered, "No, should I?"

Grace shrugged, "It was in the news. Some group of researchers is looking for volunteers. I thought of you when I heard it."

"Was it credible sounding?" Daniel asked. "Or Age of Aquarius new-ageism?"

Grace just nodded and said, "Credible sounding. Scientific. That's why I thought of you."

Daniel looked at Antonio.

"What?" Antonio asked.

"You're a psychotherapist. If anyone knows about consciousness in the news, it's you."

Antonio chuckled, "I'm sorry my friend, I have not heard of any experiments. Although I would be remiss if I didn't point out how little we truly know of the human mind."

"Here we go," Grace said.

"I agree with him," Daniel said. "Do we really even understand consciousness?"

"Yes," Grace answered. "Consciousness is the perception between oneself and one's environment. I think it was discovered by someone, back in the '60s."

Daniel chuckled, but Antonio didn't think it was funny. "You should know, the studies on consciousness have revealed some astonishing facts. Cognitive neuroscience is an exploding field. The latest discoveries suggest that the mind is actually derived from localized functions that are bound together by a unitary awareness."

Daniel listened with interest, but Grace seemed more interested in the arrival of the food.

"Well, I am sure that's where the experiment comes in," Daniel noted. "There's a lot of important work being done in discovering who we really are and why we are here."

Antonio smiled, his eyes twinkling. He raised his glass toward Daniel, "On the scale of important work being done my friend, here's to you."

"Here, here," Grace echoed, raising her glass.

Daniel raised his glass, "It's a team effort. Thank you for all of your help and support. You know I could never do this without you two."

"Yes my friend," Antonio looked at him seriously. "But we get paid, and I think that's the difference. This community is truly blessed to have you."

Daniel nodded and added, "Blessed to have all of us."