w, buoyed by Atmananda's legendary strength, I rode the swells beyond
the breakers to where my feet dangled above the ocean floor. After
thirty minutes or so, we rode the waves toward the shore. At this time
Atmananda often disappeared beneath the surface. We stood there in the
waist-deep water, waiting, watching, and trying to figure out his next
move--when suddenly there was a scream! Still underwater, Atmananda
had seized and was tickling someone's foot.

Then we sat on the beach, soothed by gentle currents of the
herb-scented air. I looked to the west. Blue on blue stretched across
the horizon. I looked to the east. White buildings gleamed behind a
row of tall, healthy palms. I remembered Atmananda's advice: "If you
want to live in a pretty world, just cry inwardly to Guru." I could not
help but feel that I had entered one of Dr. Seuss' fantasy-gardens for
children.

Atmananda drove us back to the Centre, where we gazed for forty minutes
or so at the Transcendental. Then we ate nachos--a perfect ending, I
thought, to a perfect day. I was so absorbed in having fun with my new
family, I did not think to contact my parents or my brother.

Several days after we arrived in southern California, Atmananda took us
on a bus tour of the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park. The guide pointed
to an elephant and said, "This is Peanuts. Peanuts has been with us
for seven years."

"This guy is making it up as he goes," whispered Atmananda, who seemed
to resent having someone else control the conversation.

The guide pointed to a giraffe. "This is--"

"Fwazznoid," interrupted Atmananda loudly.

"--and Puzzles has been with us for three years," continued the guide,
trying to ignore the man monkeying around with the four laughing hyenas.

One time during our first few weeks in California, Atmananda saw me
standing on a wall in the yard. He later told me that he had seen me
fly.

"Really?" I said.

"Yes," he replied. "I saw your Astral Body hovering over the canyon."

"Wow!"

Suddenly, his kind encouragement transmogrified into a cold,
penetrating glare. I felt he was looking right through me.

"I can see that you still doubt me," he said, turning away.

I was upset with myself. As usual, he was right. Yet I sensed there
was something more, something in the way he looked at me...

But he was smiling now. "Don't let it bother you, kid. You're doing
fine."

"Whew," I thought, happy to forget about it.