The Seventh Chakra

by J. R. Bowles

  What a joke. Was he the only one who knew? The knowledge was like a poison: oh so sweet to the taste, but bitter to the stomach.

  He could still hear his Grandfather shouting, “You sniveling fool, God is dead!”

  But then there's John, he grunted, and he doesn't know what's going on.

  There had been so many of them there tonight. He felt so many others attaching themselves to those who were allowed to be there. He should not have been able to join them, but what else could he do? It was up to him—because no one else could stop what was going to happen.

  CHAPTER 28

  “Hey guys, rise and shine,” Jackie said, squeezing each of them by their big toe. “Drop your cocks and grab your socks, it's reveille.” She laughed.

  She had awakened early from force of habit.

  “Come on sleepyheads.” she taunted.

  “What time is it?” Zolar groaned.

  “Seven thirty.”

  “Oh, maw, just a few more minutes,” Bernie said, trying to imitate Jackie's slight mountain accent.

  “Hey guys, you can sleep all you want, but I thought I would wake you up to tell you my leave has been cancelled.” Jackie waited for their reaction.

  “What?” Bernie was first to exclaim, as they both shot up to sitting positions.

  “Yeah, afraid so. I called the ship just to check in, and they pulled us out of Charlie status. We're getting underway at noon. I have to be back by eleven.”

  “Charlie status?” Zolar questioned, wiping sleep from the corners of his eyes.

  “That's when the ship is down for repairs, or should have been, but there's an oil tanker on fire off the coast and we're the closest ones to it.”

  “You can't go now!” Bernie was distraught.

  “I have to.”

  “How long will you be gone?” Zolar asked.

  “Depends on the fire. It could be several days. I'll call you as soon as I get back in port.”

  “Do you want us to go down to the ferry terminal with you?” Bernie asked.

  “No, that's all right, but could I borrow some subway money? I'm still broke, remember. After all I am a kept woman, big boys.” Jackie batted her eyes and laughed, in an imitation of Mae West.

  They all laughed, Zolar grabbed his wallet from the night stand and handed her a bunch of bills. “Here, take a taxi, and please be careful,” he added, in his most sincere voice.

  Bernie moved over to Jackie and opened his arms to hold her. “Please be careful.” He repeated as she returned his embrace.

  “Hey, don't leave me out,” Zolar protested, and joined them in a three-way hug. “Jackie, whatever you do, or wherever you're at, try to be alone at midnight.”

  “I'll try,” she promised, “but it's next to impossible on a ship. You guys stay out of trouble,” she added, to lighten the mood, and then left them standing staring at the door.

  Bernie shrugged and turned to Zolar. “What now?”

  “Breakfast.”

  CHAPTER 29

  “Hey, John, wake up.” Billy shook John's shoulder.

  John had fallen asleep still dressed, sitting in an armchair near his bed. Billy had slept on the floor near his feet.

  Billy had awakened to the phones ringing in his room next door; he had left the door open.

  It had been his ship. Damn, he told himself, he shouldn't have left a recall number, but it was his responsibility to do so.

  “John, I've got to go back to the ship. They called and they're getting underway at noon.”

  “What time is it now?” John asked without opening his eyes.

  “Almost eight.”

  “What time did you say you had to be back?”

  “The ship gets underway at noon, but liberty expires at eleven.”

  “I'll ride back to the island with you. I have a meeting at 2:00 anyway. Would you order us some breakfast, while I clean up?”

  “Sure, what do you want?”

  “Eggs, bacon, toast and coffee. Plenty of coffee.”

  “Sure thing, boss.”

  “How long is your ship going to be gone?” John asked as he headed to the bathroom.

  “I'm not sure; some ship's on fire and I guess it depends on what we have to do.”

  “I'll stay at the motel on Governors Island while you're gone. I still have that room, you know, that's where the software I'm presenting to the Coast Guard is--I hope.” John added, and muttered to himself, having forgotten about the navigation software he was trying to get the Coast Guard to purchase.

  I don't want to be here right now anyway, alone; too much going on,” he yelled from the bathroom.

  “What about Morgan?” Billy yelled back, but he already knew the answer. John was in turmoil and things were still in flux.

  “I'll call her when I get to the island. I don't think I can face her right now, anyway. I still need some time to think.” John answered as Billy had predicted.

  “Breakfast will be here shortly.” Billy hung up the phone at the same time the shower started running.

  John showered and thought about everything that had been occurring in his life. It just didn't make sense. Billy, Morgan, the girl in the lobby wanting him, the man on the elevator wanting him, the disgust he felt toward them. “What is going on?” He yelled in frustration, his voice echoing in the shower stall.

  Breakfast arrived as John reentered the room, a towel around his waist, drying his hair.

  “Your breakfast sir,” the boy said, looking at the two men and the open door between the rooms with indifference--and a short summation in his mind to what these guys' story was.

  John sensed the boy's thoughts, and started to explain; but what could he say? He began to feel embarrassed but dismissed the idea. What did it matter, anyway, what this kid thought? Even if they had done what the kid thought, it was none of his business.

  Then John sensed something more about the kid. On a hunch he asked the boy casually, “The hotel seems a little strange today; what's going on?”

  The boy grinned, knowing that if he volunteered information he would get a bigger tip.

  “Well, I've been told not to say anything--“ he paused for effect, as if he were doing something special just for them. Then, as he looked at the one man, he felt as though he did want to do something special, actually anything the man wanted. He didn't even want a tip, he just wanted to please; he must be going crazy, he thought, no tip!

  The boy ran his hand through his blond hair and began setting the meal on the table.

  “The lobby clerk died last night,” he began. “Looks like murder, but they are not sure. The fluorescent lights were busted out all over the lobby, but no marks were on her.”

  John stared off into space and thought, “Do I really care?”

  IV. THE THIRD CHAKRA

  SWADISTHANA

  THE SPLEEN

  Life is running cycles. That which is created, is then destroyed. The spleen center is the builder and the destroyer. The destruction, is but the end of a cycle which makes room for the next rejuvenation of force using the energies of the other chakra.

  THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHAKRA CENTERS by Tawadin Djwahan

  CHAPTER 30

  As Jackie changed into her uniform she heard them pipe her. “Now, Petty Officer Harris, contact the bridge. Petty Officer Harris contact the bridge.”

  “Damn,” she slammed her locker and thought, couldn't they even let her get changed. They had seen her come aboard. She had been early, hoping it would give her some time to get herself together before they got underway.

  She finished dressing, went to the sound power phone in the passage outside of her berthing area and rang the bridge.

  “Bridge,” a male voice answered.

  “Petty Officer Harris.”

  “Yes, Petty Officer Harris, Chief Jones wants to speak to you, wait one.”

  “Petty Officer Harris,” the Chief's voice traveled across the line.

  “Yes, Chief.”

  “Sorr
y to have had to recall you, but Petty Officer Adams is in the hospital.”

  “Oh, I see.”

  “We need you in the radio shack as soon as you can; the Captain wants to send a message to District and there's incoming traffic.”

  “Aye, aye, Chief. I'm on my way,” Jackie replied without any emotion in her voice. She was used to not displaying her emotions on the ship.

  She thought, damn Adams, he always had something wrong with him, the sorry piece of shit. She shrugged; as crazy as everything had been the past few days, she had a great time, which made this routine easier to bear.

  She ran everything which had occurred through her mind, over and over, while she was on watch.

  * * *

  They had been underway for several hours when the message came. They had been ordered back to port. The tanker that had supposably been on fire wasn't; it had been a hoax.

  Jackie reread the message she had copied. The Captain was going to go ape shit. She repeated the message over the radio to the District office and they verified her copy. They had been ordered back.

  Jackie practically ran to the Bridge, up the ladder from the radio shack.

  “Permission to enter the Bridge?” She requested so loud it even shocked her. She didn't care. They would be heading back, and would be in before ten tonight.

  “Permission granted,” The Captain said.

  “Captain, I have a message from the district.”

  The Captain read the message silently. “You verified this, Petty Officer Harris?”

  “Yes ma'am,” she answered.

  “Very well. Helmsman, we are returning to port. Come around slowly to 047.

  “Aye, aye,” the helmsman replied. “Right slowly to 047, ma'am.”

  “Mr. Clair, tell the crew we are returning to port. I'm going down to my cabin if you need me. Mr. Clair has the con.”

  Jackie heard the crew cheer as Mr. Clair piped their return, and she returned to the radio shack for the remainder of her watch.

  Jackie told her junior petty officer she was going to chow and he had the watch. She would be back in thirty minutes. She hadn't eaten all day, but then that wasn't new.

  * * *

  As Jackie stood in line for chow, she noticed a seaman kept staring at her. Didn't he know any better? She thought.

  She guessed she would have to dress him down, but good. He should know better.

  She hated to be such a hard-ass, but if she didn't, it could cause a lot of trouble. It was no wonder they called her a bitch behind her back, but there could be no fraternization in the Coast Guard; if you did, you were history.

  She got her chow and looked around the mess deck until she found the seaman. He had seated himself alone at a back table. There was only one other person on the mess deck at the time, because the watch-standers always ate before the rest of the crew so they could return to their watch.

  “Seaman Clement,” Jackie spoke, after reading his name tag, “I need to speak with you.”

  “Have a seat, if you don't mind seating with a non-rate. I didn't mean to stare at you, but you seemed familiar,” Billy said, disarming Jackie's anger. “Like I know you. I mean, I've seen you on the ship, but... .”

  Jackie looked at the man. Yes, he's right, he seemed familiar to her too, but why?

  “I'm sorry,” Jackie was totally disarmed. “I, I, may I sit down?” She was stammering: she never stammered, and she certainly didn't apologize to nonrates, but here she was doing it anyway.

  They talked about the usual things Coasties talk about when they first meet: Where they were from, how long they had been in the Guard, the usual small talk. Then they returned to their watches.

  * * *

  The ship tied up at their home dock and liberty was granted.

  Jackie kept thinking about the seaman: he was sort of cute, she thought, and then admonished herself: she was turning into a regular little slut. She had two gorgeous guys waiting for her, and she had agreed to meet this seaman,

  Billy Clement, in front of the theater on the island. But it wasn't a date, she told herself, she could never date someone on the ship, or even in the Coast Guard as a matter of fact. Her motto was, “If it's in blue, it ain't for you.”

  She would meet him after all, despite all that. She had found that he was from Blacksburg, a little town in Virginia next to her own home town. Seaman Clement seemed so familiar, not because he was a good old boy from back home, but something else....

  “Well, well, are you all dressed up or what?” One of the Third Class women who shared the berthing area with Jackie prodded. “Don't tell me Ms. Goody two shoes has a date. “

  Jackie blanched. Had anyone seen her talking to Seaman Clement?

  “I wish,” she responded non-committal, trying to hide her uneasiness, and finished dressing. She even added a little makeup, something rare for her, and packed a small carryall for the hotel.

  “Makeup even,” The woman said, trying to aggravate Jackie.

  Jackie ignored her.

  “Of course if I had your pretty complexion, I wouldn't have to cake the makeup on my ugly puss,” she added, as if to mend any animosity her teasing had caused.

  “See you later,” Jackie said. “I'll be on leave for awhile.” She wondered if Billy would be there, as she checked out with the Officer of the Day and then walked down the gangway.

  The theater wasn't far from where the ship tied up. As she rounded the corner, there he stood waiting. “Howdy,” he called out to her.

  “Hi; I can't talk long, I've got to go uptown.” She glanced, around making sure no one saw her talking to him. Glancing at her watch, she realized she could catch the ten forty-five ferry boat into Manhattan and be at the Castleton well before midnight. She felt like a macabre Cinderella waiting for midnight. She shuddered.

  “Me neither,” Billy said. “I've got to be somewhere too. By the way my first name is Billy, I wouldn't mind if you called me that.”

  “Mine's Jackie,--but please don't use my first name while on the ship, okay?” She hoped he wouldn't be offended and would understand; after all she was a first class and he was only a seaman.

  “Sure,” Billy answered; he didn't appear to be offended.

  “Could we go somewhere else and talk? This feels so public” Jackie asked.

  Billy grinned; just what he wanted. “I sort of got someone I want you to meet, a fellow Virginian.”

  “Oh,” Jackie laughed. “I've met a lot of Virginians lately. Seems as if they are everywhere but in Virginia.”

  “He's a civilian doing business with the Guard, some kind of software for navigation. I thought you might be interested, since it's computer messages which talk to each other. “

  ”I had heard the Guard was looking into getting computer navigation, that would be interesting. But I've got to leave by ten thirty so I can catch the ten forty- five ferry. Where is this guy?”

  “He's staying here at the island motel for the moment.”

  They walked past the old enlisted men's club, now closed since they had moved it into the cafeteria next to the chief's club, on to the little motel which sat on the edge of the golf course. People in Manhattan would pay a mint for this property, Jackie thought. All the taxpayers' money being wasted so a bunch of twits could knock a ball around for a little entertainment.

  Billy knocked at John's motel door. “Come in.”

  “You always leave your door unlocked?” Billy walked in front of Jackie as they entered. “This is still New York.”

  “I thought the military base was safe,” John laughed, and smiled up at Jackie.

  Jackie gasped as she stared at the man sitting in the armchair. He was about her age, she guessed, and probably the most attractive man she had ever seen--on or off a screen. Magnetic, but handsome, not a pretty boy.

  “This is my friend from the ship, Jackie Harris,” Billy introduced, then to Jackie, “This is John Fleuric, a fellow Virginian.” He stated smiling at Jackie.

  John
stood, greeted her and offered her the other chair. Billy plopped down on one of the beds.

  “I thought ya’ll would be gone for awhile?” John asked Billy, dropping into his Southwestern Virginian accent.

  Billy smiled. “False alarm, some kind of stupid hoax. So we're back early.”

  “Where are my manners,” John muttered as he took a sip of his drink. “Would you like something to drink? I still have some vodka and tonic from the other night, “ he added, looking at Billy.

  “I sure would, “ Billy jumped up and told John, “Keep your seat. I'll mix them. Jackie, would you like one?”

  “That would be nice, but easy on the vodka please; I can't stay long.”

  “You're on the same ship, I believe Billy said,” John began not really asking Jackie a question but opening communications between them.

  “Yes, as a matter of fact we just met today—although I had seen Billy before.”

  “Yeah,” Billy added, “she's a Radioman, or is that radioperson?” he said, smiling at Jackie. “Lime?”

  Jackie nodded. She felt comfortable with both of these guys. Yet, a few days ago it seemed unlikely she would have been alone with a guy, much less two of them, and having a drink. What would her mother think! She would probably be happy for her. Strange why she always ended up with two guys, she smiled to herself--wasn't one enough?

  “Radioman,” John repeated, interrupting Jackie's thoughts. “That's communication?”

  “Yes.”

  “You might be interested in the software I've developed for navigation and communications between vessels and even buoys.”

  “Billy was telling me about it; that does sound promising.”

  Billy handed Jackie her drink and sat back on the bed, listening to them while Jackie asked questions. She really was interested.

  * * *