edfarettebutts.Hisfloomyandwobegonetenanishedandhewaswreathedinsmilesgreetingpeoplewhopassedbywithacheery“Hi!”“Go,sir!”exudingtheairofbonneamieofahappyhomelessman.Itwasstillearlyinthem.Davidstoppedatayparkinglotothebackdoorofanofficebuildiheretefullofsandprovidedespeciallyforofficeworkerswhohadaosmokeduringtheworkday.Smokingrohibitedihebuilding,buthereotheemptyparkinglotsmokerscouldindulgewithoutcausingtoomuchairpollution.David’seyeslightedupwhehattherewerealotofcigarettebuttsihepte.Hekhatthejanitorshadteoupandthatnootherhomelesspersonshadreachedthereeither.“Ha!”heexcimedinsatisfa,“I’mtheearlybirdthatgetstheworm.”Hequiedhisstepsandpulledoutthelongcigarettebuttsahehalf-smokedonesaswell,carefullyfoldiohiswrinkledpapertowel,crowingathisbumperharvest.Thecigaretteptewaslikeabirthdaycakestuckfullofdles.Hisexuberahisgoodfortunewashanthatofafinancierwhomadeamilliondainfromadeal.Helightedupohebutts,draggeddeeplyonitandthoughtashewalkedaway.

    “Itseemsthatmyluckhasged.IhavealwaysthoughtthatIwasamostunfortunateguy,scedwithbadluck,cursedwithonecamityfollowingahestubbornbeliefthatIamcursedhasalwaysblockedmyheartlikeathousandpoundstone,makingithardformetobreath.ButDimitritookmetohisKingdomofDreamsandgedmyprospectsforever.Thatdamnedcursethathaspressuredmyheartalltheseyearswasbrokenaedpletelyaway.IrealizeIamnotacursedfellow,noramIasymbolofbadluck.Morethanthat,Ihavediscoveredalimitlesstreasuretroveiwhichcouldneverbeusedup.Allofushaveatreasuretroveinourheartwaitingtobediscovered.Fateisonlyaframeofmihoughtheoutsideworldhasnotgedintheleast,solongasone’sframeofmindges,everythingges.HowIwishtoseemysaviorDimitrinow.Iwanttothankhimahimknowthatmylifehasgedpletely.”Justatthistime,Davidsawaraggedsolitaryfigurewearingdarkgsses,withawhiteeinhishandemergefromthemistandwalktowardshim.Heughedheartilyandsaid,“Ha,itseemsIamreallyinluck.WhateverIthinkoforwantwillmaterializebeforeme!Isn’tthatguywalkingtowardsmemysaviorDimitri?”

    SittinginCharina’slivingroom,Angelica’sbeautifuleyesstaredinamazementatthefourthingsidbeforeheronthecoffeetable:Thatgem-studdeddouble-barreledtelescope,quiteobviouslybelongingtoaroyalhousehold,wastheveryoneQueenAishahadusedtoobservetheseofbattle.Theantiqueporbottleusedtotainhundredyearoldmaotaiwinelookedveryfamiliar.Thentherewereprintedpagesofahalf-finisheddissertation“OnLifeinMatriarchalSociety”andanotebooktitled“PerceptionsoftheKingdomofDreams”.Angelicawalkedoutofthefogwhistling,wearinggraysweatshirtandpantsalmostthecolorofthefog,atingherbeautifulslimfigure.Herlonghairwascaughtinaponytailbehindherhead.WheoCharina’shouse,herhostesswasalreadywaitingsmilinglyatthefrontdoortoweleher.Nowshetookupthenotebookandturnedapageortwo.Whoelsecouldthefinehandwritingbelongtoexceptherself?Greatlypuzzled,sheturnedherrgebeautifuleyesinastonishmentatCharina,asking

    “Wheredidyougetthesethings?”

    “Ilookedthroughyournotebook.CouldyoufirsttellmehowyouhappeobeieriousKingdomofDreams?ThenIwilltellyouthestoryofhowIcamebythesethings.”

    “Itwasastar-studdedsumm

edfarettebutts.Hisfloomyandwobegonetenanishedandhewaswreathedinsmilesgreetingpeoplewhopassedbywithacheery“Hi!”“Go,sir!”exudingtheairofbonneamieofahappyhomelessman.Itwasstillearlyinthem.Davidstoppedatayparkinglotothebackdoorofanofficebuildiheretefullofsandprovidedespeciallyforofficeworkerswhohadaosmokeduringtheworkday.Smokingrohibitedihebuilding,buthereotheemptyparkinglotsmokerscouldindulgewithoutcausingtoomuchairpollution.David’seyeslightedupwhehattherewerealotofcigarettebuttsihepte.Hekhatthejanitorshadteoupandthatnootherhomelesspersonshadreachedthereeither.“Ha!”heexcimedinsatisfa,“I’mtheearlybirdthatgetstheworm.”Hequiedhisstepsandpulledoutthelongcigarettebuttsahehalf-smokedonesaswell,carefullyfoldiohiswrinkledpapertowel,crowingathisbumperharvest.Thecigaretteptewaslikeabirthdaycakestuckfullofdles.Hisexuberahisgoodfortunewashanthatofafinancierwhomadeamilliondainfromadeal.Helightedupohebutts,draggeddeeplyonitandthoughtashewalkedaway.

    “Itseemsthatmyluckhasged.IhavealwaysthoughtthatIwasamostunfortunateguy,scedwithbadluck,cursedwithonecamityfollowingahestubbornbeliefthatIamcursedhasalwaysblockedmyheartlikeathousandpoundstone,makingithardformetobreath.ButDimitritookmetohisKingdomofDreamsandgedmyprospectsforever.Thatdamnedcursethathaspressuredmyheartalltheseyearswasbrokenaedpletelyaway.IrealizeIamnotacursedfellow,noramIasymbolofbadluck.Morethanthat,Ihavediscoveredalimitlesstreasuretroveiwhichcouldneverbeusedup.Allofushaveatreasuretroveinourheartwaitingtobediscovered.Fateisonlyaframeofmihoughtheoutsideworldhasnotgedintheleast,solongasone’sframeofmindges,everythingges.HowIwishtoseemysaviorDimitrinow.Iwanttothankhimahimknowthatmylifehasgedpletely.”Justatthistime,Davidsawaraggedsolitaryfigurewearingdarkgsses,withawhiteeinhishandemergefromthemistandwalktowardshim.Heughedheartilyandsaid,“Ha,itseemsIamreallyinluck.WhateverIthinkoforwantwillmaterializebeforeme!Isn’tthatguywalkingtowardsmemysaviorDimitri?”

    SittinginCharina’slivingroom,Angelica’sbeautifuleyesstaredinamazementatthefourthingsidbeforeheronthecoffeetable:Thatgem-studdeddouble-barreledtelescope,quiteobviouslybelongingtoaroyalhousehold,wastheveryoneQueenAishahadusedtoobservetheseofbattle.Theantiqueporbottleusedtotainhundredyearoldmaotaiwinelookedveryfamiliar.Thentherewereprintedpagesofahalf-finisheddissertation“OnLifeinMatriarchalSociety”andanotebooktitled“PerceptionsoftheKingdomofDreams”.Angelicawalkedoutofthefogwhistling,wearinggraysweatshirtandpantsalmostthecolorofthefog,atingherbeautifulslimfigure.Herlonghairwascaughtinaponytailbehindherhead.WheoCharina’shouse,herhostesswasalreadywaitingsmilinglyatthefrontdoortoweleher.Nowshetookupthenotebookandturnedapageortwo.Whoelsecouldthefinehandwritingbelongtoexceptherself?Greatlypuzzled,sheturnedherrgebeautifuleyesinastonishmentatCharina,asking

    “Wheredidyougetthesethings?”

    “Ilookedthroughyournotebook.CouldyoufirsttellmehowyouhappeobeieriousKingdomofDreams?ThenIwilltellyouthestoryofhowIcamebythesethings.”

    “Itwasastar-studdedsumm