Karma Hotel Ch. 13 Randy

Randy is a dead loosy goosy hippy who is lost. Matthew regrets granting him residence.

                   

Chapter 13

Randy d.1968

On one particular evening, Matthew resumed sphere watching and easily re-hallucinated a No Vacancy sign to ward off any opportunistic descending spheres. One could not be too careful, they were often filled with all manner of troubles. He made his sign glow and placed it on the roof.

Nevertheless, one sphere resembling a metallic green balloon slowly descended and rested itself on the front lawn next to the old rhododendron shrub. It glowed with a kaleidoscope of shifting images, psychedelic memories that could have been from an old-time Dead-Head.

Matthew could clearly hear a male voice singing, "If you're goin' to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair..." The sphere gradually became transparent, revealing a tall, slender male figure with long blond hair. He was adorned with lots of necklace "love-beads", brass bracelets and well-worn bell-bottoms.

Curious now, Matthew drifted near to inspect this new sphere and its occupant who had evidently got lost in the 60's. That occupant stepped through the sphere membrane and said, "Peace and love to you!", as he theatrically bowed before Matthew.

Matthew was taken aback. No dp had ever given an introduction like that before. Peace and love? His gentle, humble demeanor seemed somehow familiar. And for no particular reason he felt moved to do something helpful to this young, but dead man.

What kind of man dresses like that? Long hair and bracelets. Oh, he might be one of those hippies I heard about. He remembered some of the particular words hippies used. Maybe I can speak his language.

"Hey, meeeyan, what's happenin'?", the dead hippie inquired, with a big grin.

"Ah, very groovy." Matthew felt awkward, unsure if those were the right hippie words to use. Nevertheless, he wanted to begin a dialogue. He chose a direct approach. "Ahem. So, tell me, how long have you been dead?"


"Now that's a deep and profound question. Can't tell for sure." The hippie stroked his chin. "Time seems to fly by so swiftly that it's as slow as can be."

Matthew clearly heard a male voice singing from nowhere, "Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin' into the future."

"Hey, man. You know that one?", he asked. "Steve Miller Band."

"Don't think so.", Matthew replied, never having heard of them. "So you've been floating for some time, I gather. What do you want?"

"Oh, I get a kick out of watching human drama. And I like music from my time. But, mostly I'm bored." He eyed Hoyt House with envy. "That's quite a house you have here. It's the first house I've seen be monitored by a ghost."

"Yes. And a living dog." He wanted that to sink in. "She scares away troublemakers." Matthew knew that the answer to the next question would be telling. "So", he asked, "What are you looking for?"

With a wide grin, the hippie replied, "I'm lookin' for my people. The Beautiful People, man! Can you dig it?"

Bewildered, Matthew said, "Dig what? The beautiful people? You mean movie stars?"

         
                   "Hey dude, we're          all stardust," he replied dreamily. "And we gotta get          ourselves back to the garden."
         What          is he talking about? Matthew          shook his head. "Stardust?          I don't understand."
         
         The          dead hippie threw his arms up causing his brass bracelets to clang          together. He looked Matthew in the eye. "More          than anything, I'm just lookin' to break my boredom."
         
         "Tell          you what." Matthew grinned, "If          my rat terrier Greta says that you're OK, then hang out here for a          bit. I have other dp's here to keep you company."
         
         "Uh.          Dp's?" Then he grinned, "Oh I get it: dead people!"
         
         Matthew          nodded.
         
         "Oh          wow, man! You're not just messing with me are ya?"
         
         "Hey,          Greta. Got a job for you!"
         
         In          a flash, Greta was at Matthew's side. "Meet,          ah... what's your name?"
         
         "Randy,           just Randy." Ethereally he stuck out his hand for Greta to sniff.          "Nice          puppy. Nice puppy."
         
         
         Greta          pushed her muzzle into Randy's aura. Like a slow bellows, she          inhaled and exhaled a few times. She next cocked her head to the          left to express curiosity and backed away.          "This one is          different from the others. He's actually interesting", Greta          then faced Matthew and concluded. "No          trouble here."
         
         "This          is so groovy! A break from boredom at last!" Randy began to dance          around.
         
         Matthew          let him savor the moment. "And          regarding the other dp's at here, don't expect too much. They're          not likely to party with you. Nevertheless, give 'em a try. They          all sure need to lighten up a bit. I can do some introductions          later. But first, there are rules for all dp's here at Hoyt          House."
                   
         Eyes          shining, Randy nodded eagerly as he head-jerked hair from his          forehead.          
         
         "First,          do not disturb the living. I already have enough of that here.          Second, you can come and go as you wish. But, absolutely no          'associates'          get to tag along and return with you."
         
         "Associates.          What are associates?"
         
         "Oh,          come on Randy. I know how it is out there. Few of us can float          around in our spheres and not get other dp's stuck on them in some          way." Matthew crossed his arms. "On          top of that, who knows what other sorts of entities may want to tag          along."
         
         Then          Matthew repeated, " I'm sure that you understand."
         
         "Yeah,          I can dig it. I'm good people. But hey, Matt, I hope it's all right          for me to call you Matt. The truth is, most of those folks floating          in spheres are just as bored and lonely as I am. So, we tend to          stick together, if you get my meaning.", he answered hopefully.
         
         "I          get your metaphor." Matthew shook his right index finger at Randy.          "Absolutely          no exceptions."
         
         Randy          eagerly nodded again.
         
         "The          third rule is Greta can inspect you any time she wants to. Just in          case you return unawares with a 'kling-on'.          All right?"
         
         "Sounds          totally cool. Bless you, my brother."
         
         Matthew          cocked his just like Greta. Randy just called him is brother. "All          right Randy, I'll break your boredom. Go find my dp's at Hoyt          House. There are at least five of them.
         Randy          practically choked with excitement. "Oh          wow! Oh wow!" He looked around. "Hey,          Matt. Oh, ah is it OK if I call you Matt? Where can I stash my          sphere?"
                   
         "In          the back. You'll see some other spheres stacked behind the garage."
         
         "No          problem. I'll just          shrink it down and find an out-of-the-way spot for it." With          his two ghostly hands, Randy glided his sphere to a pile of them          behind the garage. Next, he slowly shrunk his sphere in size like a          deflating balloon. Now beach ball size, He carefully lowered it          downward with the others. Its undulating waves of psychedelic colors          quieted down now like the other spheres resting as if in stasis.
         
         Randy's          curiosity got the better of him. Like a kid in a candy shop, he          wondered at all spheres laying there, holding someone's life story.          He peered closely at two of them. They looked like black and white          still photos. One showed a carriage with horses. The other resembled          a picture of a harbor with sail vessels.
         
         Wow.          Looks like there are some old-time ghosts here. Maybe we can have a          good rap.... He was          so ready to leave boredom. He drifted back to Mathew to find out          what's next.
         
         
         Matthew          then reached down and pulled up an enormous zipper to make an          opening in a tent wall surrounding Hoyt House. It resembled a circus          tent.
         
         "Go          for it Randy and observe the rules.", he said watching Randy          slowly drift into the aura at Hoyt House.
         
         
         
         Randy          rubbernecked in all directions. There was so much going here. Ghosts          going about their business, apparently oblivious of his presence.          And the living were equally oblivious. A real family. He felt like          this might be his home now. How          long has it been man? Too long.
         
         Ramona          spotted Randy and halted her baby searching for a moment. She          straightened up her beaver fur hat and walked right up to him. After          inspecting Randy from head to toe, she inquired, '"You're new          here, are you not?"
         
         "Right          on sista! Just got here." Randy stuck out his scrawny hand as          his bracelets clanged. "Name's Randy."
         
         "I'm          so glad you're here!" Ramona declared out loud.
         
         Wow.          This is gettin' more homey all the time. "It's          a bitchin' place you have here, uh. I didn't          get your name."
         
         "We          need another set of eyes here to help find my baby."
         
         That          got his attention. "Your baby? You want to find it? What          happened?"
         
         "Oh          Randy, I can tell that you are such a good man." She reached          out to touch his arm. Her hand passed right through. What          was I thinking? Of course, I can't touch him.
         
                   Ramona pleaded with          her eyes. "You will help find my baby, won't you? I'm simply          lost without her. Do you know how it feels to be lost, Randy?"
         
         Boy          do I ever! "Hey,          I'll look around, sure." He peeked down a hallway and let his          eyes search around.          "Do you believe that she is here somewhere?"
         
         She          threw up her hands. "She simply has to be!" Ramona began          to whimper just a bit, just enough to emotionally hook          Randy.
         
         "Hey          sista, I'm here to help you look."
         She          felt like throwing herself at him. But that would prove          embarrassing. "Oh, Randy! You would do that for me? You're a          sweetheart!"
         
         He          bowed deeply before her. "At your service!" He rose and          began to scratch his chin. "You gotta tell me more. What kind          of baby is she?"
         
         Ramona          was thrown off. "What kind of baby? How about the kind that          cries and gets hungry."
         
         You          can sure ask dumb questions, Randy. "OK          lady, I'll keep my eyes peeled as I check          out this palace."          Ramona scurried off, looking every which way as she did.
         
         A          moment later Beny was hopping down the carpeted stairs from the          second floor till he saw Randy. Being mostly curious, he just          stopped and stared at this new spirit.
         
         Randy          froze. He had hardly ever been seen by a living in-body person. Most          of them just get faint sensations or sounds and afterward make a big          deal about it. Not like this boy, being fully present. He grinned a          mile wide and waved at Beny. "You can see me?"
         
Beny waved back and nodded at Randy. This ghost might be friendly or maybe even fun. He could hardly wait to tell his dad about the new visitor.

Randy was, as his generation would put it, blown away. The prospect of dialoguing with a living person, even a child, was intriguing. But he was not to hassle with the living folks here.

Matt warned me... So, don't mess this up.

End of Chapter 14

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