Green Eyes

I took a trip to HARI temple, here in central PA. I was greeted by an amazing hostess...

     Green eyes.  That's what color they were.  Lakshmi Shrikantia, the woman in sari was there to greet him at the top of the stairs.  He didn't know what to expect as he entered the shrine hall.  All the children running around, playing -- all while the adults sat in chairs almost falling asleep.  How they could fall asleep in such a wondrous place, he didn't know.  What was for certain was that he'd found a new home.  A home among the darker-skinned people of India.  And yet, at the same time, he felt completely out of place.  The only unifying figure was Lord Rama -- the deity statue standing front-center of the hall.

     This morning he woke up to that annoying pain in the neck, after sleeping on his side all night.  It was the only way he knew how to get comfortable in bed.  And with only two flat pillows (used for 15 years passed), comfort for the neck was hard to find.  It was no matter, though.  The trip to the Ashram was coming, and a morning shower was certainly in order.

     He put his right foot in the tub, and tested the water to make sure it was the warm/hot temperature that would comfort the body after a cold night's sleep.  After pulling the other foot in, he shut the curtain, and a ritual shower was performed.  His form and mind would become that of Mahadev -- Lord Shiva.  Water ran over the hair and skull, down the neck, over the arms, gently touching the male organ, down over the legs, and finally the feet.  It was worship of Shiva-Linga.  The quarter-sized dab of Head & Shoulders shampoo was the milk which worshipped Shiva.  The water which then ran over the head was Goddess Ganga -- she would sustain the thought processes.  And the wash-cloth would become the flower to adorn the form of the Lord.

     After stepping out of the tub and drying off, the underwear went on first.  His father had a habit of forcing the door open, believing that no one was in the washroom.  Even in their own privacy, his family would not be caught naked -- even in their own privacy.  He donned three-week old jeans, and a T-shirt that read "End Occupation in...," and it listed a few countries.  Brush teeth, comb hair, spray cologne.  The morning had become mechanical, ever since he got out of High School.

     He made himself a cappuccino, and sausage sandwich, and started the truck.  There was no better day than this to visit HARI temple.  The sun lay over the landscape, with a golden tinge on absolutely everything.  Even his unwashed car was pleasing to the eye.  It was a sign that his trip would be a mind-opener, and lead him to happiness in these years to come.

     The directions were confusing, however.  "Mapquest always leads you to places you never needed to go," so his mother blurted out.  Route 114...isn't that the one that leads away from Giant & Walmart?  Are there two route 114s?  No one in the house knew, of course.  His family had only ever been as far as Virginia, even then only using only the roads that mattered.

     Lambs Gap to 114.

     114 to 81.

     81 to 83.

     83 to -- finally!

     HARI temple was what he expected it to be -- by the picture on the website, of course.  Coming up the road in his Jimmy -- a half-a*s SUV, really -- he saw the entrance of the temple.  Two ways for both sides of the road.  They were so efficient!  The entry-way from the road had a painted OM on the top of it.  He smiled, and continued into the center's driveway.

     It was 11:09.  Lakshmi had scheduled the meeting at 11:30.  There was a student from the local community college, coming to investigate for his religion class.  He thought it very superficial for someone to be coming to earn a few credits at school.

     17 minutes later -- because he didn't want to arrive too early, or on time -- he walked up to the porch to sit down.  The people who arrived looked him over once, seemingly indifferent.  One gentleman even forced out a, "Hello, how are you?"  He chuckled, knowing that the others were thinking the very same thing he was.  Why is this white guy at a Hindu Temple?

     Since Lakshmi didn't come outside, like they previously arranged, he went inside and took his shoes off.  Looking around confused, he had to ask someone where Ms. Shrikantia was at.  After a rosey-cheeked conversation of embarassment, he was pointed to the top of the stairs were Lakshmi was at.

     "Hello, I'm Rob."

     "Who?," Lakshmi obviously didn't recognize him.  How would she?  He'd never been to the temple before.  Let alone the fact that this man was white.

     "Robert.  Remember?  We had a short communication by e-mail.  I'm coming for a visit."

     "Oh, yes.  Now you're from HACC right?"

     "What -- you mean where I go to school?"  He was confused.  When they made contact before, he never mentioned about going to college.  Then he remembered the student was coming in as well.

     "Yes, I go to HACC.  But I'm here for self-interest."  He'd considered himself Buddhist for years before, but the teachings weren't leading him anywhere but competition with himself.  He felt the need to find God.  And there he was.

     "Well, I suppose I could give you a tour of the temple."  She smiled as though they'd made some sort of connection in the past.  Her bindi was a focal point for him.  Her green eyes, dark skin, and slender figure lured his mind in...just as Shiva was attracted to Parvati.

     All the time he was there to get a feel for the temple, his eyes never left hers.  It had been months since he had any physical contact with the opposite sex.  It was beginning to pulsate through his veins.  In his dreams, he knew he would soon fall over in illness without the soft touch of a woman to rescue him.

     He toyed with the idea of them together as they strolled across the room.  Thoughts of praying and meditating together.  Meeting her family, she meeting his.  Yes, it was a beautiful thing.

     Too bad she was married.

     He left the temple that day, knowing he would come back.  The demoness Lakshmi would live in his mind every time he came in for Arati.

 

Those Green Eyes...

Author's Note

Looking for criticism. Give me what you've got.