dotbedenominatedbyfigures.Howmuchisthere?WhereshouldIsettlemybeautifulKingdomofDreams?Dimitrididnotknowhowtogoonwiththislihought.

    SoftfootstepsmovingaroundhimwokeDimitrifromhisdro.Heaskedintuitively,“Isthatyou,Laverhankyou.Weweleyouringbacktous.”

    6

    “It’ste”saidLaverne,cDimitriwithasoft,warmwoole,“andit’sgettingcold.Becarefulnottocatchacold.Yes,Iamback.Iamthinkingofquittingmynursingjobandebacktoyou.”

    “That’sgreat!Webadlyneedpeoplehere.Ohyes,IheardyoumarriedMark.gratutions!”Lavernewassilentforamoment.Thensheansweredpensively

    “MarkandIgotmarriedjustbytakingaweddingpicture.Inhissimplicity,hethoughtthatwasmarriage.Hedoesn’tuandthattherearelegalprocedurestoghsuchascityregistration......Strictlyspeaking,allwedidwastakeaweddingpicture.”

    “Whywasthat?”askedDimitrirathersurprised.Annantpause.

    “It’shardtoexpininwords.Letmetellyouastory.”

    “Good.Ihaven’theardastoryforalongtime.Iamallears.”

    “AboutthreethousandyearsagoinaIndia,therewasahandsomeprinedayhewenttotheforestforapiic,wherehefoundatigressthathadjustgivenbirthtoatigercub.Shewasweakandexhausted,almostonthepointofdeathandcouldnotfeedhernew-bornyoung.Thehandsomepriookpityonherandwalkingbravelytothetigress,offeredhimselfasfoodsothatthemerandhernewbornsoncouldlive.Hesacrificedhimselftosavetwolivesandthoughtitwasreallyworthwhile.ThehandsomeprihePrinceSiddhartha,thefounderofBuddhism.IuandthemessageClemeonthesandbeforeshewentaway,andfullyappreciatetheprofoundmeaningofthosetwolinesofwords.IosavehertwinsisterandputaothehostilityofZeustowardstheKingdomofDreams,shedissolvedherfleshbodyinthecrystalclearkewater.Theonlythingsshetookawaywereherloveforyouaernal,indeliblelonging.I,too,gavemyfleshbodytomarkbecausehisex-wife,Mrs.Simpsoedhim.Markneedsafamily,awoman.SoIgavehimmyfleshbody,butkeptmyheartwholeandintact,whichIdevoteeoyou,Dimitri.”

    “I......I......”Dimitriwasfbbergastedandstammered“I......reallydon’tknow......whattosay......”

    “Youdoosayanything”saidLaver’sgettitergoinandsleepsoyouwon’tcatchcold.”

    “mesleepoutdoorsuhestarryskies.Iamusedtoanomadlifeanddon’tfeelfortablesleepingindoors.”

    6

    “Alright.Goodnighttheomorrow.Takecareanddosick.”

    “OK.Goodnight.Seeyoutomorrow.”

    Dimitriyihesoft,warmbfeelingveryhappyandsatisfiedfortheloveofthebeautieswereteredonhimalothatalsoimposedonhiminvisiblepressureandresponsibility.Itwaslikeasorrowthatrefusestobedrivenaway.Thesestfewdayshadbeentiring,soafterLaver,Dimitriwasoverewithdrowsinessandsoonfelsleep.

    Thebackyardgatecrackedopenandawhite-beardedoldmanpoppedhisheadinandlookedabout.Hewasalse-lookingdwarf.ThenheslippedinandmadehiswayfurtivelytowardsDimitri’sloungechair.HehadleftmessagesforDimitritoeandseehimassooback,butDimitrihadnotdoneso.Hewaitedinvainforadayandanight,andbeinganimpatientman,hedecidedtoeandseeforhimselfhowthiheoldmauptotheloungechair,cspedbothhishandtogetherreverentlyandlookingtowardstheskyhemovedhislipssilentlyint.Thenhesuddenlygotintoakindofdance,gesturingwildlywithbothhands,maki

dotbedenominatedbyfigures.Howmuchisthere?WhereshouldIsettlemybeautifulKingdomofDreams?Dimitrididnotknowhowtogoonwiththislihought.

    SoftfootstepsmovingaroundhimwokeDimitrifromhisdro.Heaskedintuitively,“Isthatyou,Laverhankyou.Weweleyouringbacktous.”

    6

    “It’ste”saidLaverne,cDimitriwithasoft,warmwoole,“andit’sgettingcold.Becarefulnottocatchacold.Yes,Iamback.Iamthinkingofquittingmynursingjobandebacktoyou.”

    “That’sgreat!Webadlyneedpeoplehere.Ohyes,IheardyoumarriedMark.gratutions!”Lavernewassilentforamoment.Thensheansweredpensively

    “MarkandIgotmarriedjustbytakingaweddingpicture.Inhissimplicity,hethoughtthatwasmarriage.Hedoesn’tuandthattherearelegalprocedurestoghsuchascityregistration......Strictlyspeaking,allwedidwastakeaweddingpicture.”

    “Whywasthat?”askedDimitrirathersurprised.Annantpause.

    “It’shardtoexpininwords.Letmetellyouastory.”

    “Good.Ihaven’theardastoryforalongtime.Iamallears.”

    “AboutthreethousandyearsagoinaIndia,therewasahandsomeprinedayhewenttotheforestforapiic,wherehefoundatigressthathadjustgivenbirthtoatigercub.Shewasweakandexhausted,almostonthepointofdeathandcouldnotfeedhernew-bornyoung.Thehandsomepriookpityonherandwalkingbravelytothetigress,offeredhimselfasfoodsothatthemerandhernewbornsoncouldlive.Hesacrificedhimselftosavetwolivesandthoughtitwasreallyworthwhile.ThehandsomeprihePrinceSiddhartha,thefounderofBuddhism.IuandthemessageClemeonthesandbeforeshewentaway,andfullyappreciatetheprofoundmeaningofthosetwolinesofwords.IosavehertwinsisterandputaothehostilityofZeustowardstheKingdomofDreams,shedissolvedherfleshbodyinthecrystalclearkewater.Theonlythingsshetookawaywereherloveforyouaernal,indeliblelonging.I,too,gavemyfleshbodytomarkbecausehisex-wife,Mrs.Simpsoedhim.Markneedsafamily,awoman.SoIgavehimmyfleshbody,butkeptmyheartwholeandintact,whichIdevoteeoyou,Dimitri.”

    “I......I......”Dimitriwasfbbergastedandstammered“I......reallydon’tknow......whattosay......”

    “Youdoosayanything”saidLaver’sgettitergoinandsleepsoyouwon’tcatchcold.”

    “mesleepoutdoorsuhestarryskies.Iamusedtoanomadlifeanddon’tfeelfortablesleepingindoors.”

    6

    “Alright.Goodnighttheomorrow.Takecareanddosick.”

    “OK.Goodnight.Seeyoutomorrow.”

    Dimitriyihesoft,warmbfeelingveryhappyandsatisfiedfortheloveofthebeautieswereteredonhimalothatalsoimposedonhiminvisiblepressureandresponsibility.Itwaslikeasorrowthatrefusestobedrivenaway.Thesestfewdayshadbeentiring,soafterLaver,Dimitriwasoverewithdrowsinessandsoonfelsleep.

    Thebackyardgatecrackedopenandawhite-beardedoldmanpoppedhisheadinandlookedabout.Hewasalse-lookingdwarf.ThenheslippedinandmadehiswayfurtivelytowardsDimitri’sloungechair.HehadleftmessagesforDimitritoeandseehimassooback,butDimitrihadnotdoneso.Hewaitedinvainforadayandanight,andbeinganimpatientman,hedecidedtoeandseeforhimselfhowthiheoldmauptotheloungechair,cspedbothhishandtogetherreverentlyandlookingtowardstheskyhemovedhislipssilentlyint.Thenhesuddenlygotintoakindofdance,gesturingwildlywithbothhands,maki