MEMP’IS
BOOK
FIVE – “YOGA IS, as YOGA DOES”
(Saturday,
January 6, 2035)
"What
is the significance of each crime - alone, or in progression?" Henry Hat posited.
"Greed!" declared King Jack.
"Composition," Tony Debris disagreed.
The pale, haunted and, heretofore, silent Lucy leaned
forward. "Ears!"
Judson Crawford, shaking his head sadly to patronize his
lesser companions, leaned forward, exclaiming, almost in a whisper…
"Fex!"
And Vona Rae Sletcher
glared to her left, at the savant, and said: "I went to the Specimen Depository myself, volunteering to give
samples to that horrid foreign man, do you know? My fex will be worth something, some day…"
"Is there no end to this Vegas funeral march of
futility?" Dr. Wilson suddenly objected.
"We are," answered Henry Hat, "utterly at
the disposal of Miles, here."
And Dr. Shore, glancing at his clipboard, hastened forth to
maintain the attention of the group.
"When the way to enlightenment encounters blockage, it is, at
times, profitable to play a game..."
"Like those you made us play down in the basement,
when the Director and his advisory board went up to Richmond on
conference?" smirked Dawn Dancingfeather.
"Well - or others, others of a sort we of the therapeutic
community employ to draw the other personalities forth, the other otherish personalities residing in the shadows
of the manifest that are attuned to the vissure of
circumstances…."
"Including crime?" Norlin
hastened to pin this Doctor down.
"Assuredly! And, is that not why you, yourself, have
brought, to this Academy, four cunning and discriminating students of the human
condition as these… why, I would even venture that they, not I, are more
capable of proposing that special game by which the secrets of your criminal
may be brought to light. Isn't that
so? Why don't…"
Over her shoulder, Peg Reilly gave Shore a fisheye - Vona Rae, thinking to speak up, could emit nothing but
stutters and coughs, and, while Lola was primping with anticipation, Terushka Batter stood up, turned, and flashed one of her
legendary cinematic smiles…
"I know all about
your games. Why, during my years on the
stage and before the camera, we often amused ourselves, between scenes, by
taking liberty with the confinements of the role, even if the Colonel was,
sometimes, mortified. He had great
dignity, which did not serve him in good stead before the Friars, or, whilst on
tour with the cast of 'The Music Man', when…"
"You were in the cast of 'The Music Man'?" Dr. Shore
gaped.
"And 'My Fair Lady', 'Sweet Charity' and 'Phantom'…
that was based on a story from the French, you might know…"
"Indeed! Then
you are just the person to propose a game, based on the theater," said
Shore while Lola and Vona Rae squirmed with indignant
frustration…
"How about 'Cats'?"
interrupted Bobby, firing off a malignant wink at the mute Starrett,
who, lifting his head, miauled forlornly as the
indignant Vona Rae shrieked…
"Down with the
Animal Shelter!"
"Well, that might not be appropriate in and of itself," the doctor allowed, "but it does give me
an idea. Alright! The name of this game will be 'Memories',
because there is a song of that name within Bobby's musical… no offence
intended, Starrett…"
The cat-faced man lowered his head and lifted his hands…
they were, at least, far more like hands than paws… and flashed some arcane
finger-symbols across the circle towards his protector, King Jack Bard, whose
cardboard crown had started to dip over one weak, blue eye.
"None taken, Doc!"
said the King, pushing the crown back to an upright jauntiness.
"But first," Homer Sack interrupted, "it is
time for the devout to pray to the Jatesaneum. And, although Dr. Shore rolled his eyes and
groaned, Judson Crawford, Zihei, Starrett. Lucy and Rocky knelt, soon followed by the
rest of his talents... Wilson and Tony Debris excepted...
all four of Norlin's girlfriends and, finally, Henry
Hat...
"God
is good, and great is Triple-J, his messenger," Homer intoned. "One
more day 'til the Becoming..."