8

    “Ohyes,”repliedMr.Kaffee.“Big-Ohastogobadsayhiseveningprayers.Iamusedtopeadquiet,soIwouldbeleavingwithhim.Thelittletemplebythekesuitsmefine.”Charina’seyeslookedinquiringlyatDwarfMickey,whojumpeddownfromthesofa.

    “Don’tworryaboutme”hesaid.“Ihavemyowogoto.”EveryohathewasthegodofwealththatDimitrihadputonhisaltarinhisKingdomofDreams,soanytempleiousinstitutionsuitedhimfine.Infacthebroughtprosperitytowhereverhechosetostop.Hisferventbelieverswouldeindrovestoprayaemplewouldbecrowdedwithpilgrimswhhtalongdlesandinseandmadegenerousdonations.Whodoesn’tlovemoney?Whodoesn’twantthegodofwealthtoshowerri?SoDwarfMickeywasohemostpodsiemples.Itisjusthumannatureandjustifiable.SoCharinastoodsilentlybehindDimitriashesawhisfriendsoff.

    “Don’tbesadCharina”saidMr.Kaffee,fthehospitablehostess.“Wherethereisbreakup,thereisgathering.Justgiveusadwewillgathertogetheragain,right?Wewillbejustashappyandmerryasweweretonight.”

    Thelivingroomlookedlonelyaeaftertheguestsleft.SilentlyCharinabeganinguptheleftoversandstagtheptes,bowlsandcupsintothekitsink,tobedealtwiththedayafteragoodnight’ssleep.Dimitriwaohelpbutdidnotknowwhereto.Sensitivetohisfeelingofhelplessnessbecauseofhisblindness,Charinahelpedhimtothesofa.Shetookasmalltowendwipedupthespillsonthecoffeetablesaying,

    “Haveaseat.I’llberightwithyouandwanttotalktoyousomemoingbacktothekit,sheputtwocrystalgssesontoatrayandaddedtoitthebottleofhalf-fullvintageredwishehadopenedforDimitrithesttimehewashere.Sheputtogetherthefingerfoodleftonvariousdishesandbihemintooneandwalkedbackwiththemalltothelivingroom.Shesatdownbesidehimandpouredoutthefragrantredwine.Dimitriiheuniquefragrandsaidsmilingly,

    “You’vebeenbusyallday,Charina.Aren’tyoutiredandsleepy?Youstillwantsomeredwine?”

    “Totellyouthetruth,Idofeelrathertiredandwouldlovetorest”saidCharinawithafrown.‘ButoherhandmycuriosityhadbeenarousedandIwouldreallylovetoknowaboutalltheexgthingsthathappeerwardsintheKingdomofDreams.”

    “Wheredidwestopatsttime?”

    “YoustoppedatwhenyougotonyichorseLightningaraightuptotheskiestomeetKiherestshouldbeevehrilling!Myfeelingsaretroversial.Itishardtochoosebetweensleepandlisteningtothestory.Whydon’tyouchooseforme?Tellmewhichisbetterforme…”Holdinguphergss,shetouchedittoDimitri’sandsaid,“Cheers!”

    “Whydon’twedoboth?”repliedDimitridrinkingfromhisgss,afteramomentofthought.“WouldyoulikemetotakeyouonatourofmyKingdomofDreamssoyouseeeverythingforyourself?Youfalsleepayourfleshbodyhavetherestitsorelyneeds,andIwilltakeyouonatourtomyKingdomofDreamswhileyousleep.How’sthat?”

    8

    “Youmeantosaymybodyfalsleepinmybed,butmysoulseparateitselffrommybodyandgototheKingdomofDreams?”askedCharinaashereyeswidenedinsurprise.“bodyandsoulbeseparated?”

    “Generallyspeaking,itbedone”Dimitrireplieddiffidentlyaftersomemomentsofthought.“Butstrictlyspeaking,fleshbody,sounddreamsdo.Theyareonlyimpressionsoftraexistence…Iwillnotgointothistoodeeplyasitwouldleaveyoumorefusedthaneverandyouwouldnotbeabletoenjoyyoursweetslumberanymore.Westartagainfromw

   8

    “Ohyes,”repliedMr.Kaffee.“Big-Ohastogobadsayhiseveningprayers.Iamusedtopeadquiet,soIwouldbeleavingwithhim.Thelittletemplebythekesuitsmefine.”Charina’seyeslookedinquiringlyatDwarfMickey,whojumpeddownfromthesofa.

    “Don’tworryaboutme”hesaid.“Ihavemyowogoto.”EveryohathewasthegodofwealththatDimitrihadputonhisaltarinhisKingdomofDreams,soanytempleiousinstitutionsuitedhimfine.Infacthebroughtprosperitytowhereverhechosetostop.Hisferventbelieverswouldeindrovestoprayaemplewouldbecrowdedwithpilgrimswhhtalongdlesandinseandmadegenerousdonations.Whodoesn’tlovemoney?Whodoesn’twantthegodofwealthtoshowerri?SoDwarfMickeywasohemostpodsiemples.Itisjusthumannatureandjustifiable.SoCharinastoodsilentlybehindDimitriashesawhisfriendsoff.

    “Don’tbesadCharina”saidMr.Kaffee,fthehospitablehostess.“Wherethereisbreakup,thereisgathering.Justgiveusadwewillgathertogetheragain,right?Wewillbejustashappyandmerryasweweretonight.”

    Thelivingroomlookedlonelyaeaftertheguestsleft.SilentlyCharinabeganinguptheleftoversandstagtheptes,bowlsandcupsintothekitsink,tobedealtwiththedayafteragoodnight’ssleep.Dimitriwaohelpbutdidnotknowwhereto.Sensitivetohisfeelingofhelplessnessbecauseofhisblindness,Charinahelpedhimtothesofa.Shetookasmalltowendwipedupthespillsonthecoffeetablesaying,

    “Haveaseat.I’llberightwithyouandwanttotalktoyousomemoingbacktothekit,sheputtwocrystalgssesontoatrayandaddedtoitthebottleofhalf-fullvintageredwishehadopenedforDimitrithesttimehewashere.Sheputtogetherthefingerfoodleftonvariousdishesandbihemintooneandwalkedbackwiththemalltothelivingroom.Shesatdownbesidehimandpouredoutthefragrantredwine.Dimitriiheuniquefragrandsaidsmilingly,

    “You’vebeenbusyallday,Charina.Aren’tyoutiredandsleepy?Youstillwantsomeredwine?”

    “Totellyouthetruth,Idofeelrathertiredandwouldlovetorest”saidCharinawithafrown.‘ButoherhandmycuriosityhadbeenarousedandIwouldreallylovetoknowaboutalltheexgthingsthathappeerwardsintheKingdomofDreams.”

    “Wheredidwestopatsttime?”

    “YoustoppedatwhenyougotonyichorseLightningaraightuptotheskiestomeetKiherestshouldbeevehrilling!Myfeelingsaretroversial.Itishardtochoosebetweensleepandlisteningtothestory.Whydon’tyouchooseforme?Tellmewhichisbetterforme…”Holdinguphergss,shetouchedittoDimitri’sandsaid,“Cheers!”

    “Whydon’twedoboth?”repliedDimitridrinkingfromhisgss,afteramomentofthought.“WouldyoulikemetotakeyouonatourofmyKingdomofDreamssoyouseeeverythingforyourself?Youfalsleepayourfleshbodyhavetherestitsorelyneeds,andIwilltakeyouonatourtomyKingdomofDreamswhileyousleep.How’sthat?”

    8

    “Youmeantosaymybodyfalsleepinmybed,butmysoulseparateitselffrommybodyandgototheKingdomofDreams?”askedCharinaashereyeswidenedinsurprise.“bodyandsoulbeseparated?”

    “Generallyspeaking,itbedone”Dimitrireplieddiffidentlyaftersomemomentsofthought.“Butstrictlyspeaking,fleshbody,sounddreamsdo.Theyareonlyimpressionsoftraexistence…Iwillnotgointothistoodeeplyasitwouldleaveyoumorefusedthaneverandyouwouldnotbeabletoenjoyyoursweetslumberanymore.Westartagainfromw