The Dharma Revelation

Chapter 6

The world now moved a lot slower to Vincent.  It was autumn in New England, and he noticed everything.  The crisp chill and vibrant colors provided the perfect backdrop to his return visit.  As he drove up Interstate 83, he breathed the fresh air and thought about all of the years that passed since he had left.  It seemed like a lifetime ago. 

The sun was down by the time he reached the old neighborhood near the campus, and despite his reasons for returning, he decided to stop by Murray's.  He knew a lot of his old friends would be there, it being a Friday night.  He had mixed emotions about seeing them again, but he had to know if Breuer was right. 

He sat down for a moment in the hallway leading to the bar.  Vincent noticed the lacquer was fresh on the benches, but he could still see some of the familiar engravings.  MK, Monica Keller.  That name brought a smile to his face.  Back when he was a professor at Johns Hopkins, he used to come here often.  Those were some good times. 

After a few moments of reflection, he walked in.  The sights and smells came back to him, and the years seemed to vanish.  No matter what he had become, what he had evolved to, this would always be his hometown, nothing would change that.  These people, these friends, they knew him before everything had changed.  Before the revelation.  Before Dharma. 

The bartender didn't recognize him at first.  He did a double take at seeing Vincent's distinguished features and trimmed beard, the bright eyes, the confident swagger.  When Vincent asked him for a Guinness, it all came back.  The bartender asked where he'd been the past five years.  Vincent responded that he had been on a lecturing circuit.

He wondered if this was a bad idea, coming here. 

"Vincent Dualla!" a woman's voice said, "Or should I say 'doctor'?"

He turned. 

"Deana?"

She let out a delighted squeak and sat down next to him, "Oh, my God, how the hell are you?"

Deana was an attractive woman, in her 30s now, but years ago she was a student at Johns Hopkins.  Her mother was part of the administrative faculty on Vincent's staff at the time.  His whole staff was like a family to him, and to that end, he saw fit to ensure she studied hard and graduated. 

He smiled weakly, "I'm good Deana."

Leaning toward the bartender, she said, "I'll have a grasshopper," she turned back to him, "does anyone else know you're back?"

"No," he chuckled.  "I wasn't even sure about stopping by, but I really needed a drink."

"I hear that," she was served her drink but didn't touch it. 

She glanced up at him, "After you left, Gerald died.  Did you know?"

He looked down at his glass, "Yeah."

"He was in an awful car accident."

Vincent took a drink and didn't respond. 

"We never heard from you," she said.  "Where have you been all this time, anyway? 

"I wanted to come," he said, not looking at her.  "I'm sorry.  I couldn't."

"Where were you?" she repeated.  "You just left, no goodbyes, nothing."

He took another swig, "Teaching physics."

She laughed, but it was more disbelief than humor. 

Just then a man clapped Vincent on the shoulder, "Well look what the felis dragged in."

"Dr. Walker," Vincent got up and smiled genuinely, hugging the shorter man.  "How have you been Jim?"

"Fantastic," he said, pulling up a stool.  "I was having a drink with two of my students, and I saw Deana talking to the smartest man on the planet.  I simply had to excuse myself and see if my eyes were deceiving me."