The Hidden Path (WINNER OF THE BEAUTY AWARD for Spiritual)

New York

Let us not worry about the future. Let us only do the right thing Today, At this moment, Here and now. Let the future take care of itself.

- Sri Chinmoy

"This is your operator speaking, how can I help you?" A business like, slightly stressed female voice sounded through the receiver of the pay phone.

"Uhm..." I started, unsure as how best to present our predicament. "You see... we are supposed to meet someone, but we are lost... we have just arrived here in New York and have not yet had time to change money. Well, no... we do have money, but no coins. . . Not enough coins, anyway... and now we need to call our friends, but we don't know how..."

I inwardly cursed Beni for talking me into having this unpleasant conversation. How do you explain to an operator that you have come to see your spiritual teacher? You know that once at a certain address your living arrangements will be sorted out, but nobody really knows that you are coming yet and – unfortunately – you can't seem to be able to locate the address (which had been given to us by Surya)?

I scowled at Beni who was standing next to me, anxiously waiting to hear the outcome of the conversation.

"Do you want to make a collect call?" The operator's impatient voice cut through my inner complaints.

"Uhm... a collect call...?" I trailed, unsure as to what she was suggesting.

"Yes, a collect call. Meaning that the person on the other end has to pay..." I could practically hear the lady on the other side of the line roll her eyes at me.

"Oh, that's possible?" I exclaimed, new hope that we had a chance for this whole ordeal to be over soon, erupting within me.

"If the recipient agrees, then yes," she curtly informed me.

"Uhm..."

Which immediately dampened my enthusiasm, as I realized that nobody here in New York even new our names. Therefore, it would be useless to give her ours.

"Do you want to try?"

The way the operator was snapping at me, I was under the impression that I really did not have much time to consider it.

"Yes, please!" I quickly agreed.

"Well, then I need the number..."

How can somebody sound so bored and stressed at the same time, I briefly wondered.

"Yes! Yes, of course... The number!" I hissed at Beni, who immediately stuck a small piece of paper between my eyes and the big, grey, metal contraption before me. The slip held the address and phone number of the contact that we had been given of "Guru Health Foods", a shop selling organic food. One of the employees there was supposed to help with our accommodation.

Havin taken half a step back in order to be able to properly see the numbers, I started reading them to the operator, who repeated them back to me.

"Yes, this is it," I quickly confirmed.

"Now, what is your name?" The female voice drawled.

"Ahm... yes... yes, my name..." Well, this was the problem now, wasn't it? Beseechingly, I turned to Beni, who simply shrugged his shoulders, looking as helpless as I felt.

Out of the blue, an inspiration struck me: "Uhm... could you, please, tell them that we are two disciples from Austria, who need their assistance..." I pleaded timidly, well aware of how strange this must have sounded.

"Two... what?!" The operator's eyes were definitely bulging right then, judging by the shocked tone of her voice. At least she was probably not bored any more...