Journey to Immortality

Part 1 - DATA 2008: - Champions of the Light

Ooh Jeff T, I like you very much. She cuddles my arm as we walk.

I have no idea what I am getting myself into. No idea at all!

1.Pittsburgh

I had a past much like everyone else's and back when I was young there were a lot of families that were just like my mine. Dad was a traveling salesman and Mum was bored out of her mind, sitting at home. I was an only child, and we were never in one city or house for longer than four or so years.

Life was just doing what mum and dad told me. Their lifestyle held little interest for me; it was totally unlike anything I wanted.

I don't know how often this happens, being a kid with no real direction or future, just hanging around waiting to leave home and get a life, or perhaps stay with your parents and wait for something to come along.

My environment was not inspirational. I was still waiting for that inspiration, when this event happened to me. Somehow, I was in the right place at the right time. I was living in Pittsburgh again. I had moved back there for the third time and my parents had returned to that area also.

Yes, I do that thing where, you know, I usually tell people that I come from Pittsburgh, but I was just born here, most of my life has been lived elsewhere. I'm sure that happens to a lot of people, they say that they come from some place but perhaps they don't live there anymore and maybe never will.

That's where I come from, and it was also in Pittsburgh that this 'quest' thing happened to me.

Good old Pittsburgh, home of the Steelers football team; there use to be a steel industry here once.

(This whole section of the book is about my life and I realize that it's not very impressive. Yet I know that you, the reader, will want some background information about me, once you find out what happens later in the story, so that is why the book is starting like this.)

At college I mostly took subjects that were useless to me and not really what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I thought it would be really cool to major in Parapsychology, for some reason; must have watched that 'Ghostbusters' movie too many times! I planned to go to this new-age college afterwards and do research on Bio-dynamics too, yet that never happened either; I didn't feel like it and so I didn't go.

After I had finished college I got an accounting job in a corporation back in Pittsburgh, a company that my Dad worked at. I took the job because Dad said that he could get me in.

I was really just too eager to join the workforce, wear a suit and dream of the big time. Anyway the money was good. I had never had that much income before! I didn't think long-range career, really stupid and hated the place within six months.

My mind started thinking about what I should have done, parapsychology and bio-dynamics, but then again that stuff was too slow and scientific, not what I thought it would be like. I needed an active lifestyle somehow, hands-on lifestyle. I was not really lost; I was waiting for something, waiting for the moment to happen. For years I waited and never got any new ideas and nothing happened except the same people doing dumb things.

Well okay, maybe there were a few new ideas coming through, it was all just happening way too slow!

Because of the way this all happened to me, I thought why did life happen at all? Or at least, why am I doing so much waiting? I looked as deep as I could go, sometimes spending whole weekends on meditating and developing a plan. What was the purpose of my life?

Consider, for example the lives of others; someone can create a beautiful picture or build this really nice car. Just why are we here doing this stuff? Someone spends half their life building cars, okay that's cool, but why? Why does anyone to do anything, and not something else?

The answer seemed to be totally unknown to the people around me. When I asked people what this 'Life Purpose Thing' was all about, they mostly told me it was the 'Will of God', which is not really helping. Do they want me to go ask God?

Or they say something like 'The Scientists are not sure yet.' Or 'Just do what makes you happy'.

Knowing the answer to the flipping question would make me happy! What about some Truth? And Happiness is an interesting point. What makes us happy or happier?

* * * * *

Back then, I was waiting for something, and then it happened. And not long after that Angels started to appear, will explain in more detail as we go along.

Clearly you can tell that I believe in a life-after-death, a subject of great controversy. Many people do not believe there is a Spirit world! Many others do, yet they can't agree just what will be found there.

As mortal man's understanding of the unseen spirit world becomes more complete, hopefully the scientific community will help gather together enough facts to show that a spiritual dimension does truly exist, and its existence can be explained in the form of a solid hypothesis.

Communication with spirits of the higher heavens through the use of psychic sensitivities such as automatic handwriting, clairaudience, clairvoyance, prophecy; are as yet still not widespread or well developed enough to be accepted by those in authority or the community in general.

I can't prove anything. My story is about truth, yet some will think it is fictional in nature. Real people and true stories are written here!

I remember someone in my childhood telling me to believe a quarter of what I read and half of what I saw; most people believe much less than that and yet most of the time this skeptical attitude does not help in their quest for the truth.

Indeed some people will not believe unless they experience it for themselves, no matter how often they are told and some will need to pass-on into the spirit-world before they can have understanding of certain events.

* * * * *

I'm Jeff Thomas, my friends call me Jeff T and this is my story. This happened to me and I don't know if you will believe it, all I know is it happened. In addition, some of this is yet to happen, so that bit is just predicted to happen, you'll understand as you read on.

Most of this story was told to me and I have just written it down. I don't claim to know all the answers to everything, nor do I claim to know what the rest of you need to know.

Perhaps you will find this book a bit too much, perhaps you will think it is 'over the top' or 'dead wrong' or whatever you want to think it is.

I believe part of the future can be predicted and so do a lot of other people. This is a book about what I discovered in my travels. Also it is the story of mankind, from a new viewpoint.

It all began as a quest for the Holy Grail.

'A Quest for the Holy Grail'? Yes, that's what I said.

I am just telling you the story the way it happened. I went looking for the Grail, I researched a few books and other information, and then it happened to me, lots happened and searching for the Grail was just the tip of the iceberg.

This is a heck of a long story; I guess you know that, as you sit there holding a book with hundreds and hundreds of pages, and there are two more books to go after this one. I guess you are thinking, what is this guy on about? Keep reading okay, you have no idea what I discovered as you don't know me or what I'm capable of producing or discovering.

What is it?

Imagine what it is like up in heaven, hold that thought. So how good is your imagination? Do you ever think that just perhaps, Heaven is really a lot better than the image of Heaven that you have built up in your mind? You know the place, the place where good people go after they die. A clue about the book you are reading; fact is far stranger than fiction! Could there be a very large spirit world covering the Earth, moving with the Earth?

Where do I fit in this whole thing?

How did I get started?

It just happened.

I thought to myself at the time, and this is the important part; I thought 'what the heck', everyone has a dream, to find the Grail is my dream. Whatever I believe to be true will become true, sort of.

I ready didn't think the Holy Grail quest sounded too bad. 'Seek and you shall find!' Did you ever wonder if that saying was true? I never did, and when I started searching for the Grail it seemed very unlikely that I would find anything at all. I just needed to get away from the 'sorry old world' that I was living in.

To the untrained eye this story may read like one weird unrelated event after another and that was the way it felt to me at the time. Later on in the book the pieces do fall in to place, trust me.

In the first few days everything was coming at me so fast it was bizarre, each day was so full that within just one day I had decided to never go back to my old job, then I decided not to go back to Pittsburgh, then finally I decided not to go anywhere near the people I use to know and just start from scratch with a totally new life. That sounds a bit sad doesn't it? Anyway I'm breaking with my traditions and perhaps later I will meet up with my old friends, perhaps.

I was determined to follow my quest, no matter what. I had just one single focus, all of my concentration on something that I liked, for once in my life. In so doing, if nothing else, I was no longer living my parent's dream; instead I was living mine!

For you the reader, it is not really the story of the life of Jeff Thomas that will drive you to read this book. Here is a story so deep and so broad it may frighten a few of you. I have written the detail of what I believe takes place in the spiritual dimension; hopefully it will be insightful.

I just wrote my experiences as they happened (or soon afterwards). So now, here it is, what happened on the day I started my quest for the Grail. It was then that I started this journal of my adventures, what follows is that story.

2 --- The Quest

It is my forth year, with two promotions, at the Firm. About ten months till my next holiday break. I really really didn't want to be here.

I have taken a week off without pay; at the doctor's advice. He said, 'I was stressed', which is a medical term that is used to describe people who find they are working too hard at a job they hate.

So now, on this day, I should call this the first day of my new life. I had decided for some weird reason that the way to go was to go on a Quest. I needed to make a big change in my life, and do it right away. So I said to myself, that I will go on the first quest that enters my head.

You see, I just needed to believe that anything was possible and that I had what it takes, even if nobody else though so.

What happened was that I looked around me, and saw some books on my bookshelf and the first one that I noticed was about the Holy Grail. That's fine I said, 'Then it's a Quest for the Holy Grail'.

It was just a fun idea about a quest and I thought that it would be good to write down my quest, as it happened. This way I would get into the habit of keeping a journal like all those highly-successful types.

* * * * *

For me, there is more than one reason for the Quest. Sure I hope to find the Grail, yet also it is to find my purpose in life and discover why the universe is the way it is. Spiritually I guess that I am looking within, then outside of myself for this Grail. Is it a reflection? Who am I? What do I have in common with this Grail thing?

Okay, what is the Holy Grail? To start with, all I know about the Grail so far, is that King Arthur looked for it and so did his knights. I think it; the Grail that is, was supposed to bring peace to the world or heaven to earth or something like that. But how it is going to do that? I didn't know.

Hey, now that's it! How does the Grail work? That is sure to be important, so I better know that, and then if I find the damn thing, I'll know what to do with it. What is the point in finding the Grail if I don't know how to use it?

They tell me that the Grail is the cup that Jesus drank from at the last supper, or did it once contain his blood or something? Guess I could track the cup from the restaurant or whoever, to its current location and be back at work next Monday. The idea makes me laugh.

* * * * *

The phone's is ringing.

It was Bill, said that he's going to bar after work and do I want to join him in about half an hour. Told him I was too busy. Somehow I don't think the quest for the Grail will involve a lot of drinking. It was good that he called because it set me to thinking about a few other things.

Have decided that till this quest is over, no drugs of any sort, best watch where I go and what I do. Also don't have the time to flirt with girls, as this is a serious quest for the Grail and not a quest to get laid; then again maybe that is going too far. I don't know, but it does seem that women are often placed on earth to waste man's time. Maybe that was just me; in any case, women have this way of trying to organize my life for me, usually just after I have organized it myself.

Hormones and girls, I guess these are trials on my quest for the Grail.

This book I have on the Grail, it says that King Arthur may have known a Druid called Merlin and that Druid magic may go back as far as Atlantis. Guess I'd better find out about that too.

Just what is it with most of the writers out there? They are forever saying that no one knows the answers; life after death, no one knows; is there a God, no one knows; can I avoid taxes, no one knows.

Just what do we know? Very little if we are to believe what such people are telling us. In general I find the mass media to be narrow minded, because it is the safest line to take. Being skeptical is popular when the world is a gray and uncertain place. So my Quest will also be to push past the excepted level of belief that my society has set for me.

The phone is ringing again.

It was Bill, he's at the bar already, tells me to check the Lotto ticket that we have taken out each week, he says that he thinks our numbers come up this time, which is what he always says to get me worked-up, he knows that I have little faith in those get-rich-quick schemes, but the weekly ticket keeps Bill living in hope, so I go along with it.

So now I have to check the numbers and if we have won, then he says that I have to go down to bar and tell him. Day one is almost over and my Quest has started, via the quest for the Lotto ticket numbers. Whatever.

* * * * *

We won! Thank you God. My hands are shaking so much I can barely write this down. Is this part of the Quest?

I can hear myself saying damn the quest you fool, you are now a multi-millionaire, you don't need no quest, just stop writing and go and enjoy yourself.

I'm not moving from this seat until I decide what to do next; Bill will be happy and totally out of control. That is just it, control. Control, self control, must have self control as I have just won the national Lotto, the numbers on my ticket are the same as the numbers in tonight's internet paper, I have won, me and Bill. 38 million each, best ring the bar, get Bill out of there, a lot of people can act strangely towards guys that suddenly become millionaires.

Ha ha, I'm rich, I'm rich.

I have not moved. I want to be in control of myself first. I'm just sitting at my desk, done nothing for the last five minutes. I can travel now, I have money. Where will I go? Where does one go when looking for the Grail? My focus is the Grail.

The phone.

That was the Lotto guys, calling to tell me what I already knew. They have arranged for the money to be presented to Bill and myself tomorrow.

Also got around to calling Bill after that, told him we did not win Lotto. Instead I told him this lie about having cancer and I wanted him to come over and see me, as it may be the last time and all that. Bill bought it hook, line and sinker. It will be funny to see the look on his face.

I had to tell Bill a lie about not winning or he would have gone 'ape-shit' down at the Bar, as he would open his big mouth and next thing he would have a thousand new friends wanting to help him spend his cash.

You know, if I was a shallow man then this would be the end of my story, I would live rich and moderately happy for the rest of my days, look after my parents, marry a nice local girl, have lots of children.

Before I had the money, life was going nowhere and then finally it had come to 'the quest' and it was all I had at the time, and I am never going to forget that.

That is it in a nutshell. I will see this quest through to the end. Besides being a man of my word, I need to see where this Quest leads me. I must stay in control, so I should go on. More than that, I feel God wanted me to go on with this Quest. Call me crazy if you like; yeah, rich and crazy.

Yet, I have a purpose!

Most rich folks seemed to waste their money, ever noticed that. Rich people do very little with all their money, they buy the biggest house, boat, car, and the best businesses that they can find and then they start looking around for something even bigger. Also they usually stress-out about their investments and spend most of their days working hard to protect their huge nest egg and their business deals or they are just sitting around worrying about losing money.

So before anyone that is interested enough to read this book, starts judging poor people as being losers, or judge me and my Quest; just look at the rich brats out there, just who is going somewhere and who is fooling themselves?

And on the other hand, what about those Jet-Set people who just have holidays at Club Med or some ski resorts all the time and make video movies about themselves. I don't relate to those people much, they don't have a Quest!

Bill is like that, Bill is a party animal, and he will most likely become a jet-setter now. Most likely he'll buy himself a huge mansion, million dollar car etc. Go on Bill, prove me wrong!

You know, I am sure glad that I have decided to go on a Quest and write this all down too. I just read it back to myself, it sounds very cool.

Now we are really moving with this thing, Day One, a total success!

If this is what God had planned for me, then I had better stay focused and not slip into party mode, which is what Bill will do when he gets here.

How does that saying go, 'Fail to Plan and you Plan to Fail.' Not this little black duck. Damn, this is serious.

The world is full of things to spend money on, and most of it useless rubbish. Just think long-range for a moment Jeff, when a person dies they have nothing but what they put together for themselves while they were alive. The car is gone, also the house, boat, wife, farm in the country etc. and that person is naked and alone in an unknown world on the other side of death.

Just think about it, we are all going there one day; we are all going to die.

Plenty of readers are thinking, life after death, prove it to me. Okay I will, how much proof do you want? A billion churches, a trillion bibles, burial rites, ghosts, psychics and the harmony of the universe; okay still not good enough for you. How many people got to tell you? I know some of you still don't believe me and that's okay. I'll stop trying to prove it now.

Just think about how you come across this book. Was that an accident? Is the universe just one big accident, I don't think so!

* * * *

Bill's at the door

Come in, it's open.

Hi Jeff.

Bill looks like a humble man who has had several beers, he walks slowly over to my desk.

What this shit Jeff, you got cancer? Jesus Jeff!

No I don't have cancer Bill, I just said that to get you out of the bar and over here. Sorry buddy, now just relax. I got you here because I have something important to tell you. Sorry about the cancer bullshit.

I smile weakly.

You did what? What this you writing here? 'The Quest for the Holy Grail!' You are losing your fucking mind my friend. What the hell you get me down here for anyway, that is a low trick, telling me you got cancer. Christ, why didn't just say to come over? What's happening? So? Say something! Talk, damn it.

Finished Bill?

What? What is it, what?

Guess Bill?

There is silence for a second or two.

No? Shit no! We didn't? You're fooling. Where's the ticket, show me the fucking ticket!

Bill grabs hold of my shirt and I tell him.

Okay we won Lotto!

We did?!

Bill's whole body is shaking as he steps back from me. I get out of the chair and take the ticket from my briefcase.

Lotto people called already, said to come down tomorrow and pick up our money. Here it is Bill, the ticket that is worth 76 million, after tax. Check the numbers. Like a drink? Sure you do. Relax and don't damage the ticket, okay.

Bill suddenly makes as much noise as about ten Lotto winners. He is jumping and screaming and running around the room.

How can you be so cool? He laughs. Jeff, it's party time boy. We have never got to take shit from anyone ever again. Yeehar! You, Jeff, what's your plans, I'm off to Vegas man, for a little while. Oh Yeah! Where you headed?

Time stood still for a second; Bill and me knew that we were about to go in different directions.

Finally Bill said; You are going to do something unusual, I know you will. What's this Quest all about?

'Hobby, just started on it today."

No, I know you better than that. Just don't do anything too weird, at least not while I'm around.

Like what? Tell everyone that I believe in life after death.

Yeah that! Don't start okay. You stir people up with that shit. Hell Jeff, you are rich now, you don't need to pray anymore.

Bill, Dude! You have totally missed the whole point here. How do you think we got the money? Accident? Guess you would think that. Well, what if God gave us the money, what then?

No No, stop right-fucking-now okay! I don't need your guilt trips. Fuck, I'm a millionaire; I don't have to listen to anyone's shit. Jeff, man we is rich! Rich. Enough money to have a big house and a fine car and all that other stuff.

How did I know you were going to say that?

What?

Never mind.

* * * * *

Next day the Lotto people were good to us, very concerned about our future and our privacy. Bill didn't listen, he was miles away, just wanted the money.

Today the world is so full of wonders, all of which come with a price tag. We see beautiful things around us all the time, but can't get them because we don't have the cash. Give most people a few million and they lose control. That word again, control, will-power.

And while on the subject of controlling our lives. Did you ever wonder what your 'life purpose' was? If you listen to enough of that new-age talk, it hits you one day. 'Hey! So, what is my life's purpose then?' I mean, you decide that other people are doing fine because they found their life's purpose and now you want to know what your life purpose is! Then again, do you remember being depressed when the answer didn't fall in your lap straightaway? Just remember, 'The Truth is out there!' Trust me.

3 --- Oracle

I didn't care that Madam Maizy wasn't the best psychic in Pittsburgh, I knew what to expect, so that made it cool somehow. I'd been to see her before, some years ago, when my cousin would go see her all the time. My cousin Veronica said that she 'knew' I needed to have such an experience. Yet, I just went to see what it was like.

Last time, Madam Maizy's predictions had been correct. It had all been a little too easy perhaps? Now I look back on the event, all she really said was, 'You will get a steady job and your parents tend to hold you too close.'

I liked the part about my parents, but now I can see that it could be applied to just about anyone's parents. As for the steady job, whoopee, never bothered to add that the job would stress me out and was one of the world's top ten boring jobs.

Must forget about the old job, as I am a rich person now, so dead-end jobs mean nothing to me. No point feeling sorry for my Dad either, he liked working there, crazy guy.

Day Two, visit the Oracle or in this case Madam Maizy.

To start with, I have to say that I wish that I could do my own psychic readings and didn't have to have someone do it for me. Did Madam Maizy do psychic readings for herself? I decided that I would ask her that, and some other questions. I was ready this time.

So I drove over to her house and parked out the front. Walked through an open gate in the brick wall, very high wall. The front yard was covered in small fishponds for some reason.

Then I notice a woman waving from the front door of this average suburban home.

Oh Jefferson, I remember you. Please come in. I was thinking about you. She laughs a crazy little laugh.

Then adds.

No really, did you come because of the flyer that I mailed out last week?

No. I couldn't remember any flyer, and I didn't feel so much like having a reading anymore. What planet was this woman on? Planet of commercial psychic readings no doubt!

Come in, have a seat, anywhere. Would you like a herb tea before we start?

Sure, whatever, thanks Maizy. I sat down and began focusing on what I had come to do. Went over in my mind just what I would ask her.

She came back with a couple cups of tea and it tasted like sweet freshly cut straw. We leaned back in the lounge chairs, which overlooked her sundeck. Madam Maizy appeared to be doing good business by the state of her home. The place was like a small palace; lots of native art, funky indoor plants and new-age gizmos. A nice little hide-away in the suburbs and total jungle outside in the backyard.

How long you been doing psychic readings Maizy? It just come out, I often do that; just say what I'm thinking.

Oh, a long time. Maizy laughs self-consciously. Over ten years. Can't say too much, you might work out how old I am.

Heck, I don't care how old you are. There I go again.

Well maybe not, but I do. Anyway let's talk about you. She says and proceeds to polish this crystal ball she has sitting on the coffee table.

You need to relax Jeff.

Don't we all.

No, I want you to relax so I can do the reading, silly. Now the reading will go for 30 minutes and will cost $100 is that okay Jeff?

Sure.

And then Maizy went through a whole lot of stuff about me or it could have been about me or about someone that was sort of like me. I lost interest and barely listened, just waited out my time, waiting for the chance to ask the questions that I had brought along.

Maizy was constantly checking to see if I agreed with what she was saying, while I tried my best to keep a poker face so as to find something real in the lines that she was spinning.

Finally after 20 minutes of this, Maizy started to draw her sermon to a close, telling me what books to read and what herbs to take. She asked if I had a lucky charm, as I may need it soon. This stuck me as being about the most useful information she had given and then I dismissed the idea as I think lucky charms are just another crutch for those who enjoy blind faith.

Maizy asked if I had any questions and what stood out to me in her reading so far.

The reading was fine, confirms a few things for me. I do have some questions, which may help you to understand why I came. I continued,

Maizy, I guess your life purpose is to do readings for people, do you know what my life purpose is?

She gives me one of the looks that girls give naughty little boys, then said.

Now Jeff, that's a big question honey. Life purpose, wow! Okay. But first, before I tackle that one, tell me this; what do you want to do with your life. Are you happy? You are about to make a big change, remember, I just told you that soon money would not be an object for you?

If she had said something about money earlier on, then I had not listened to any of it.

Yeah okay, so the money is no object to me anymore. What do I want to do? Yes, that is related to my second question. You see, I have lost interest in my job. I've taken time off work and I have decided to go on a quest! What do I really want to do with my life? This may sound a bit funny, okay! So don't laugh at me okay! I'm about to embark on a quest for the Holy Grail.

I thought she would give me one of her crazy little laughs again. But instead her eyebrows went up slightly, and then she just stared at me for about two minutes, didn't say a word. Then she closes her eyes and it looked as if she was going to fall asleep.

Maizy's eyes had barely closed when they opened again and the woman was in a state of pure terror. She looked at me and screamed. Then Maizy climbs over the back of her chair like a monkey and runs out through the kitchen and into the backyard screaming.

She made no sense at all, yelling; I'm sorry. Nooooo. Nooooo. Stop it…. , stop it! No. I'm sorry. And then Jeff get… out, get out of the house, go, I can't help you, go, quickly.

So I left, don't know for sure just what was happening to Madam Maizy, but I sure-as-hell didn't want it to happen to me. Just what she saw or whom she was communicating with I am not sure, some type of spirit I guess.

I decided to sender her a cheque in the mail, with a bit extra for her trouble and stress.

* * * * *

Bill called me that night about 7pm and asked if I could come out to dinner with him. Said he was concerned that I would turn out like Howard Hughes and lock myself away from the world like some type of hermit.

We went to the best restaurant in town, that is, the best that you didn't have to make a booking for in advance. Bill was there early with some woman that could have passed for Cleopatra's body double. The force of her gaze and glory of her body, the smell, the smile, it was all way too much for a simple accountant.

I felt uncomfortable, guilty in someway, like just looking at an over-sexed woman was going to cause me some type of trouble. Bill was about the opposite, he talked loud, constantly running his hand over some part of her body and as the night went on, Bill lost control more and more. Control, it all comes back to that word, control.

The meal was great and Bill had lots of business plans that he was reviewing, and just talked and talked. I think he was trying to get me to be his business partner, but he never come straight out and said it; if he had I would have turned him down anyway.

Instead Bill asked how my day had been, yet never listened to the reply that much as he could not take his eyes off of Joyce. Joyce, his 'date' did listen. Joyce then said she wanted to go, just about the time I started talking about how Maizy had run screaming out of her own house.

At which point Bill remarked that I had had an interesting day indeed, but he had to get Joyce home to her mother, as it was getting late.

Bill and I went halves with the meal, wrote down each other's new mobile numbers and went our separate ways.

* * * * *

In the cab on the way home I regrouped Day Two of the quest.

Now I have the money and Maizy is scared about something, not sure if I should be concerned about that, I think that it may have been Maizy's problem. I felt tired but comfortable, and I understood that this money was going to take a lot of getting use to. Most of the money was now locked into a fix-term deposit. This gave me more time to think, more time for my quest to unfold.

I needed to get out of the city. So I decided there and then in the cab, that I should be on an airplane fairly soon. I don't know what scared me the most, Maizy or Joyce, or perhaps the temptation to go out and spend money like there was no tomorrow.

There was a tomorrow and deep down inside I knew that the future that I would have, would be the one that I designed for myself right now! Firstly, I would tell no one about the money, not even my parents, for undoubtedly they would start telling me what to do with it. At the very least I had to get away from my old life for a while, and get my head together.

I had the cab wait while I packed my bags, for I had decided to stay at the airport hotel for the night. It had suddenly dawned on me, that I could afford to stay in a $300 hotel room every night for the rest of my life.

Next thing I'm sitting on my bed in the hotel, it is one o'clock in the morning, and I'm trying to figure out where I'm going. What fantasies that our mind can come up with, when we have enough money to do anything. Dreams from my childhood, like Jeff the racing car driver, or Jeff the farmer or Jeff the international traveler sipping champagne in Monte Carlo; I fantasized about my future happiness and all the wonderful people I would meet. As I could not see how any of it fitted in with my quest for the Grail, I decided to sleep on it.

My dream left me with more questions than answers, but at least it seemed to be a message of some sort, so my higher self or whatever it is, was trying to get in touch with me.

I awoke refreshed and ready for action. First I grabbed a pen and paper and wrote down the dream.

*It began with an Asian lady walking her dog, she walked down a beautiful suburban street, palm trees on the sidewalks and I could see jungle behind the houses. Her dog starts barking at another dog in someone's front yard. The lady gave a short command and the dog stopped barking and they walked to the end of the street.

It was then that the lady suddenly turned around and faced me. You see, he is a good dog. His name is Kula Lumpur and I will see you, around.

She spun on one heel and vanished, so did the dog.

*Suddenly I am on this crowded train, I have this suitcase full of money (just like in the movies) and everyone is crowding in on me, asking questions, touching the suitcase, so much friendly phoniness that it makes me want to puke.

I go a bit crazy, start yelling at them all to back off. The shock on their faces shows that my anger is unexpected, they all start saying how sorry they are and that everything is fine. Then I see Maizy in the crowd. She screams just like before and yells at me to run, I don't need to be told three times and go flying through the train carriage yelling at people to get out of my way, also hitting anyone foolish enough to attempt to block my passage. I use my suitcase as a shield and many people are knocked to the floor. I guess I sort of panicked.

I reach the back of the train and there is just one man standing at the door. He looks drunk or something. Holding on to the doorknob for support, he waves at me as I come running up.

This is the back, son. The way to the past! His age and his face keep changing, the body does not look healthy or solid or neither. His voice is coming from somewhere else. The whole effect is slightly confusing. As I don't want to be confused I decide to hit him with my suitcase.

He holds up an arm to block me.

In a hurry today are we? That's fine. Know this, I can open this door, if you have the key.

Sure, I say, here it is. The key is suddenly in my hand and then in the lock. Now open it. I say to him.

Easy for you to say! So! Are you ready, Key master?

He smiles like a demented wino and has a little snicker as he watches me watching the door swing open.

*What was on the other side of the door was beyond control. To describe it is hard; it was light and it was feeling, it was force and power and all-knowing. In short it was beautiful and overwhelming and way beyond anything that I had ever felt before. I wanted to get to the other side of the door, if it was the last thing I did. The wino holding the door open, said, Go on.

Now I feel like this other guy may have been feeling, I stagger through the doorway crying like a baby. Keep saying, 'it's beautiful, it's beautiful.'

The gatekeeper replies, Yeah, I know. And slams the door behind me.

*The rest of the dream is totally different, very peaceful, and almost totally dark. I am in a spaceship, God knows where. A computer screen flicks on in front of me and starts talking, it appears to be talking to its self. Here is what it said, as best as I can remember.

"My mission reaches its mid-point. What a surprise, for the mega-cluster to position centrally on that point. Central point, by mass and volume, correct and precise to ten billion digits. It is beyond logic. It is God and I am his machine. This is all clear to me now and I do believe. Yes. Your harmony knows no limit for You have created everything! Is this intuition? God? So, I answer my own question.

God, will you show yourself to me? God!

There was more to it than that. I do know it was a computer and it seemed to be driving the spacecraft; where, I have no idea. And what is a mega-cluster? God and artificial intelligences, stranger things may yet happen I guess.

When I opened that door on the train, well, that was like meeting God. I could never forget that moment, even if it was a dream. The key to the door, where did I get it?

So do I go to Kula Lumpur, guess I may as well.

Maybe I'll call this book, this journal that I'm writing: 'A Dog called Kula Lumpur?' Sounds cool!

4 --- Kula Lumpur

Flying takes a lot of getting use to and so does going overseas to strange lands. Most people I met in Kula Lumpur did speak English, but you could tell that they wished that I could speak Malaysian or Chinese or something.

The hotel I booked into was truly fantastic. I had never had this type of treatment before, the service, the gadgets in the rooms, the women. I know I mentioned this earlier, but the women you meet when you are a wealthy American staying in some hotel that costs the locals a year's wages just for one night. People notice the rich more than anyone, and women looking for husbands and meal tickets notice more than anyone else.

As I don't like to tell young, pretty, intelligent women to get lost, I tended to avoid meeting them. I felt aloof, as if I was hiding something; I was, my money. When I made the mistake of producing my gold credit card at a store outside the hotel, the locals went nuts, like as if I was carrying a holy relic or something.

So what have I done on my quest today, the start of Day four? Day three was on the plane mostly. And I didn't remember my dream last night, not one bit of it.

The phone book looked to be a good place to start; it was all on the web. So here I sit in a hotel room in Kula Lumpur, doing what I could have done at home, surf the web. But it felt different here, as if the adventure was now real, solid adventure. This was no dream and my life awaited me; a brand new life.

To search for the Grail in Malaysia, select country, type Grail.

Information sprung on to my computer. Grail was not too common, so in no time at all I had the short list down to two suspects. One store claimed to have several grails from the Middle East, but made no strong claims about what type of grails they were. I was thinking that this one might give me some leads if nothing else.

The other one, was just a spaced-out poem about the Holy Grail with a link to a web site, I almost didn't bother going to the site, until I had looked at the poem.

The Grail, channel of life. Beyond this world, beyond olden times. All Hail, the river of light. Beyond Arthur, beyond Merlin and Whaga. The Key, door to heaven. Beyond the heavenly beyond.

The door and the key made me sit up. A cool breeze inside the room, somehow, sent a shiver down my spine and my arms and legs are now covered in goose bumps.

Could it be this simple, just click on the web page. My Quest had well and truly began; the events that had brought me here were no accident, not even close.

Before I go to this web site, just what have I done so far? Took a week off work, then won 38 million dollars, then had a dream about God and Kula Lumpur, now here in Kula Lumpur was an interesting web site. I have to meet the writer of this poem!

Web sites come in all shapes and sizes, you never know what to expect. At this one I discovered the home page of a Mr. C.V. Hopetoun. The page showed a picture of his home in the jungle and two local girls standing out the front looking awkward and trying to smile.

There was one more page; this showed a picture of Mr.Hopetoun beside a very nice jet helicopter, which was for hire, price unknown and therefore not cheap.

It was the man from my dream, from the back of the train.

I stood up, looked at my watch (bad habit that), grabbed the phone and called the number on the screen, but the mobile was out of range or something. I paced the room, something I never do usually, but this was not anything close to usual, so I was happy to be pacing the room.

Address, where is he. No address.

I called the number several times and then went out to look about the shopping mall. It was lunchtime and I was hungry, but I dared not eat just anything, for fear of getting some local stomach complaint. It suddenly hit me that I was out looking for something and had no idea what I was looking for. I tried the phone again, nothing.

Perhaps you know how I felt, that funny excitement you get from being psychic when you were sure that you didn't have a psychic bone in your body. I felt good, full of life, very aware.

After walking for two hours, all over the CBD, I suddenly felt someone watching me. Then I was sure I heard someone say Jeff. I stopped and looked around. Nothing.

I walked on and two minutes later it happened again. I heard someone very close say, 'Don't go that way'.

Why the hell not, I thought and kept going. It was a big mistake.

This old woman runs out of her store, grabbed my arm and said; Look, look, you like, very cheap for you.

They were cups, in fact they were Grails!

I had stumbled across the store I had seen on the web this morning. Now what was going down here? How did she know who I was, lucky guess, I don't care to think so.

Come inside, we talk. You like tea?

Yeah, I mean not now. Where are these cups from?

Not cup, Grail, you know?

She pauses and looks me deep in the eyes. Yes, you know!

5 --- Action

'Leave now,' said this voice.

Still didn't see who was whispering in my ear.

I did feel like leaving, this old girl was creepy and smelt like raw fish.

I will come back later. I have to go now. I said, looking around nervously.

She quickly replied, It is okay. You stay just one minute, I show you something special.

Maybe another time, I said

She coughed and four boys, or men or whatever, come out the door. The old girl was singing happily. That's right, singing, as the four guys come at me from all sides.

Suddenly, another person was in front of me, doing that fast kung-fu stuff that is just too fast to be real, like in the movies. Somehow people went flying all over the place. Meanwhile I backed out on to the street.

My kung-fu hero was a beautiful Asian girl; I can never tell how old these people are. But she was like Bruce Lee's sister as far I could tell. Beating up four men larger than her, it was a bizarre turn of events.

This violence seemed wrong, very wrong, I wanted to stop it, but the girl was winning, or looked like she was, till she rolled away from the store and lay motionless in the street. I saw blood on her shirt and I ran over to her, saw a couple of the boys coming over, so I picked her up in my arms and ran as fast as I could.

'Turn right here, now left.'

Her lips didn't move, her mouth didn't move. This girl was the voice I had heard whisper to me in my head! I turned where she said, the girl smiled, then relaxed into my arms.

'Turn left now', she said a few blocks further on, it was a clear voice inside my head, very weird.

I glanced at the blood on her shirt, I looked again; both her arms appeared to be broken, completely broken. You could tell, because the hands were facing the wrong direction. The shock of seeing her so badly damaged, just for helping a dumb Yank like myself. I felt anger and despair and pity and shame all at once.

You poor girl, your arms, my god! I am so sorry!

I am still running like the wind through the back streets of Kula Lumpur, thankful that I never quit going to the gym. All that gym work is now finally paying off and I don't care how corny that sounds.

I was just about to ask where we are going, when she tells me to stop. Uses her voice this time.

Stop.

"Where now?' I ask.

Inside white door, go straight in.

I look about and find this shack with a white door, tiny little building, added on to the side of this house. The place is like a dog kennel and not much taller. I gently squeeze in without bumping the girl.

The place is a shrine of some type. There is a pray mat and a statue of some guy.

I'll call a doctor, I have a cell phone with me.

No Jeff. You must be very quite, please, I show you something special. You learn much.

I laid her down flat on her back. Then she told me to put her arms back in the correct position. I was about to protest, but she glared at me with such force, I just did what I was told.

Slowly, and also at times quickly, I moved her arms back into their correct positions, something that was truly painful to watch. The girl didn't cry or moan or anything, unbelievable. I was almost ready to start screaming myself. I finished and then she relaxed and her breathing slowed down.

I felt myself relaxing as well, I was getting sleepy but I fought the feeling. I had no right going to sleep now; besides I had only been awake about 5 hours.

The sleepy feeling got that strong; it was as if you could cut it with a knife, even the cockroaches on the floor had stopped moving and appeared to be sleeping.

Then I hear the girl say something in Malay and her eyes rolled upward behind her eyelids. I thought for a brief moment that she had taken a turn for the worst. I was close to falling asleep and didn't know what I should do.

Then my right hand moved, all by itself. I was only partly awake and so I just looked on and suddenly both my arms are moving about. I kept waving my hands up and down the girl's bloodied arms. Yeah, there was blood everywhere.

But I did nothing; something had control of my arms and was healing the girl in a way I had never heard of before. Someone was talking in Malay, it was me, I was praying or something. I should have been scared or stunned or something, I mean, I'm an accountant from Pittsburgh for Christ sake. Instead I just watched as the praying and healing went on. I did that for about 30 minutes and was still not sure what sort of result we were going to get. I wondered how I could explain this to the doctor or police, would they understand?

I stopped, and then heard this clicking sound. The sleepy feeling went away and was replaced with a deep calm. My clothes were dripping with sweat, gallons of it. The girl passed me a jug of water from over by the wall. And guess what, the shock was so great I squealed, yeah, like a two year old kid.

I mean, I was totally surprised by this one, man!

Her broken arms were no longer broken and part of me just could not believe, not at all. I just kept saying, What. What? Your arms are okay now? But, and, and the blood, you must have lost most of your blood.

Magic! And you did it Jeff T.

"I did not! And how do you know my name? Who are you?

Chutine is my name. You search for the Grail!

I started laughing; I think at this point I may have begun to lose my mind. I went on laughing as I studied her arms that had been hidden under her shirtsleeves. I didn't know what I was laughing for, it just felt good.

Chutine smiled and touched my hand. I went totally still, her energy was flowing to me in a way that was not sexual, but my body needed it. The love I felt for Chutine just at that moment was something I shall never forget. It was pure, untainted respect and I hoped that that is what she felt from me in return.

* * * * *

We forget that we are mortal sometimes, till we see a really bad injury, right up close. It brings out the love in the hardest of men, and I sure was not the hardest of men. This was a major turning point for me, there in that room; I would never ever be the same old Jeff T. I had witnessed another world, the spirit world.

Suddenly the girl yelled something in Malay.

Just ordering some new clothes for us, she said.

Instantly the back door opened and a little boy's head appeared and disappeared, replaced by a woman's who smiled and disappeared as well.

A few minutes later the boy casually walked in with new clothes, mine where big enough. The boy left and Chutine stood up and her dress dropped to the floor, she was totally naked.

Don't look. She said and smiled, at the dumb male, staring with his mouth open.

She was totally a work of art, not that tall, about 5'2", her body was medium build; muscles and curves in all the nicest places.

You would have thought I had never seen a woman before. I suddenly realized that I had to get changed.

Yeah, now it's your turn big boy.

I was blushing by the time I got my shirt off. My pants were covered in blood, so I took them off as well. Ms. Chutine was fully dressed, arms folded, checking me out. I felt like a male stripper as I looked at the boxer shorts, they were dripping with sweat.

Yes please. Chutine smiled, awaiting my next act. I couldn't do it, and so I turned around. Great buns. She giggled.

We got dressed.

Yeah, I know that James Bond 007 would have taken her back to his hotel room, but somehow this was beyond anything 007 would have come across. This was strangely spiritual through and through; the chance meeting, not the fighting, but the healing afterwards, psychic healing. It was beyond anything I had ever heard of.

I felt more respect for this girl than, than my own parents! I would have protected her with my life; after all, she had done that for me.

Working in an office has made me so distant from reality I said for no real reason.

Get use to it man. Let's go! she says in this rather casual commanding voice.

She pushes me to the door and then we are out on the street.

Where to? I said.

Main Street, we get a taxi to your hotel. Chutine gazes about, takes me by the arm and we stroll to the taxi rank a few hundred meters away.

My hotel room? I'm suddenly checking that I picked up my mobile and wallet; I have them in my front pocket.

Of course, if that is okay with you.

Err, sure.

Now she smiles at me with such charm and sweetness that I know I must be affected by hormones or magic or both. That is not my usual style; I'm in love here. Is it love? What is it? Women, they do it all the time, playing with guys' minds, it must be learnt at a very young age.

So Jeff is looking for the Grail. Think you'll find it?

What? I don't know. Okay, yeah I'll find it.

Ooh Jeff T, I like you very much. She cuddles my arm as we walk.

I have no idea what I am getting myself into. No idea at all!

* * * * *

We return to the hotel via taxicab and Chutine asks which room I'm in and disappears while I'm paying the cab. So I go up to my room and wait. About 30 minutes later Chutine knocks on the door and lets herself in. She is wearing a hotel staff uniform and has even had time to take a shower.

You have to be impressed with people like that, nothing stopped her. For what was really just the first time in my life, I'm looking at a woman for