Albert held Allen's shoulder as they maneuvered slowly through the snow and ice.
The blizzard had not stopped entirely. Snow still fell in tender white flakes in the darkened blue, black
and white, cloudy sky.
In a sense the great expansive white sheath that covered the streets and much of the buildings was brilliantly
beautiful in spite of a rather stark cold thermometer indication.
Occasionally an icy wind would blow threw the heavy clothing they wore pulling the accumulated heat from
about their bodies.
"Where are we going Albert?"
"Allen they've started the Hate therapy in this town yesterday. You know how I thought it would be the best
thing for the country."
"You've been talking about that for seventy years now."
"I'm only thirty-two Allen."
"I told you something was wrong with my watch."
They were joking to keep each other amused and to keep their hearts pumping that warm blood through out their
systems and it was fortunate, for the snow made the distance quite a struggle.
"They're serving an introductory free lunch so you won't be the only uninterested party. It's vegetarian."
"Albert you're a genius."
As the two arrived they passed two ladies leaving who made a great fuss that Allen reminded them of some
actor fellow they recognized. They wanted to know if they used real drugs in the movie. Allen secured them with the understanding
it wasn’t him. He assured that they never used real drugs in movies or in real life. He said, the whole drug thing was
a media creation and if the young ladies had their tour about the program and were truly leaving they’d be smart to
hurry on their way because teatime was soon approaching.
"Do allot of people ask you those things Al?"
"Why yes ... Is it noticeable?" Allen answered removing his outerwear and boots.
"Nice looking young ladies." Albert felt compelled to comment.
"True, true."
It turned out the Hate group that they'd encountered was a social meet group that offered free lunches and
conducted seminars designed to vent gripes. The gripe time offered follow through on all legitimate gripes and reduced community
tensions in that manner. Hence there was the referencing it as a Hate therapy group by locals.
Albert was overjoyed and many communities shared his sentiment.
There were some books distributed including the Foundation Religious texts of B. Toad a late twentieth early
twenty-first century writer who was often driven, by organized repression, into desperate pain, insecurity and ultimately
dramatic and often costly expressions of Hate in his life. The religious works were his answers and consolations.
Many new and old religious symbols of Religions from the beginning of time to the present hung upon the walls.
Vokt's Interpretations of the Toad were sold at the gift counter with the lightning symbols that signified
the anti-Hate organization.
The vegetarian lunch was a great Idea and as result of its non-meat quality the representatives of Hari Krishna,
the Muslim church and the orthodox Hebrew faith had come to the meeting. Dr. Vokt was going to speak on the Ethics of Morality
after the lunch.
As they could see after they arrived, it was an Interactive C.D. version, of the illustrious professor that was making
its appearance and answering questions. The Hari Krishna’s were amazed, the Hebrews a bit put off by the mechanization
perhaps and the Muslims thought it was impersonal but sat to listen since they weren’t serving pig.
“You’re right champ. These ladies are nice.” "Allen commented, to his friend while being
served a paper plate with an Indian curried vegetables and rice dish resplendent with a side of Dal and pita bread."
Allen still felt somewhat like a pool of water floating in the empty vastness of outer space. Sounds jellied
together in his interpretive functions, grouped together, leaked out of his head through crevices in his skull and spilled
as fluids draining from his ears. The fluids emerging in that manner from his head restored a sense of peace to his system.
They'd left there outside clothing by the door, in a closet established for the purpose. Their Shoes and
Glosses, left among a large number of others, were secure due to the virtuous behavior of Canadians who would rarely steal.
The speaker continued on the interactive screen in front of them,
"Krishna described karma as derived from activity that is evil."
"It was Pradupad the twentieth century leader of the Krishna
Consciousness Society that clarified the ancient text, who significantly made clear, it was certain action,
not essential to our collective well being that was believed evil.
"In 1985 the Toad made an aborted attempt to start a magazine entitled HATE in order to vent the nation's
hatred and develop a staff of diplomatic individuals who with time would be specialists in the area of hate therapy.
"It wasn't till 2008 that this particular concept of B. Toad’s convolved in the collective mind, becoming
clear to a significant population of persons.
“Dr. Winona Ledbetter, a clinical Psychiatrist in Seattle and Felix Amire, an associate Professor at
Columbia University, many miles from one another, were on an inter net discussion on the admirable qualities of the late TOAD.
They spoke of the discovered old applications for a fictitious name the Toad had filed in San Diego California.
“Exploring references in other manuscripts as to the purposes of the Toads work, they decided once
again that the Toad had been years ahead of the national conscience and science in the area.
"We are all of course acquainted with the Holy Books of B. Toad.”
“Of course we are familiar with Master B. Toad’s rejection of the words and their concepts of
Evil and Guilt. We are aware that rarely did he use the words or even the word good much. He referred to actions and deeds
as being weak or strong. He reminded us the Messiah, according to Milton, aside from bringing forgiveness for mankind, would
remove Satanism and Evil from the world.
"References apparently conclude that the Toad attributed the origination of this particular idea to a pair
of unacquainted friends who apparently both suggested the idea in different ways.
"Curiously one of these associates lived in Canada. He had moved here after extensive therapeutic use of
L.S.D. in Brooklyn N.Y. during the nineteen sixties where the drug proved highly successful in curing psychosis and extreme
despondence in certain members of the community. In fact that was where the pair met. The other friend a fraternity brother
from High School reportedly died when engaged in advanced studies in anthropology, of a heroin overdose.
"Though the friends only shared ideas and conversation for a relatively short expanse of time the Hate therapy
idea stuck in B. Toads mind.
"Though 'still born', Hate therapy, embodied in the motivation for HATE magazine, once more was championed
by Dr.'s Ledbetter and Amire."
Albert and Allen a farmer and a movie star sat in a large street level auditorium with a blizzard beyond
the walls and doors, eating vegetarian food, listening to an interactive Dr. Vokt machine speak about the evolution of the
hate therapy movement in the Foundation Church.
There was a holy vegetarian Indian dinner served with no meat in it as they watched the hologram speak and
responded to questions about the works of B. Toad.
Alan said, “Wow”. Albert smiled.
Alan was very quiet. He had floated to a seat and sat crossed legged at a service space, on a raised platform
that ran along the side of the room.
As Albert moved toward the platform he noticed that other people were eating Hindu food from paper plates
at their service spaces.
“B. Toad claimed his so-called metaphysical theories should actually be considered physics.”
Dr. Vokt, the hologram spoke.
“He was driven by an ambition, since a very early age. He’d developed this ambition hearing of
the terrible atrocities of murder and torment he heard the Nazi had done to his then dead and living family members. He longed
to find a way to bring mankind to live in peace with his fellow men. He wanted to make people respect life and not suffer
others lives and health, an undo, portion with irrational fears.’
HATE and those Genii-us the old, Master B. Toad started to take on Messiah like proportions in Albert’s
mind as he listened from his serving space.
He picked up some leaflets and started reading some of the history the hologram reiterated.
A young attractive Canadian lady brought the first pot of food. She ladled that into the paper plates she
laid upon the serving table before the serving space.
It was the traditional offering dish of the Krishna faith.
Other waiting persons followed each bringing a dish of rice or sauce or bread or drink.
It was a memorable evening.
They left before 11 PM. Albert thought it was too late for the children, to bring Alan home. He walked Alan
to his boarding house. He promised Alan the next day that he could come over and see Charlene and the kids. He wrote out directions
so Alan would know how he would get to Albert’s house in the morning when he woke. Then Albert went home.
