Astral Plane
(Published in Jubilee City, 2005)

I have a very strong spiritual connection she said. She was young and cute in a furry way. She had a light in her eye and a bouncy soul. Nice conversation incurred. She’s studying to be a therapist in Santa Monica. We talked more. I sense you’re lonely she said, do you believe in the inner child? Well, I think maybe I’m all child in a way. I got two kids, i support a whole team of people, work for myself, but yeah, when I’m around people my age who work at real jobs I feel like a kid. It’s important having an adult, she goes. Maybe I said, but I manage. We talked more and I told her I lived in a hotel. Well, that’s your inner child afraid of commitment and getting close to people. You need an adult, she said in an absolute and authoritative way. Then I say, I see I pushed some buttons in you to cause you to assume suchposition of authority and I don’t see how you qualify. It’s some female thing. You see me as being too free I said. Calmly, she goes, now Joe don’t get defensive, that’s not what I said at all. Then I say you said my inner child needed an adult, and living in a hotel was proof. Joe don’t get defensive. And I say, you takinga position of authority that strong shows me that you are the one being defensive. Calmly she says, Joe I’m going to take a break okay? Then she went and sat at the other end of the plane.