BEFORE I COULD SAY ANYTHING

And then there was the man in the K-Mart parking lot. It was K-Mart back then. 1976, Walmart hadn't taken over the world yet.

I used to stalk people. I would see them a distance away heading for their car, get into step with them but not so they noticed me, they were feeling very secure there, I could approach them without seeming to accost them.

He was a good looking young man nicely dressed, short haircut and late model car. I handed him the Bhagavad gita.

Before I could even say anything he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a checkbook. He wrote a check for $100. It was a company check from a small circus. Then he began to speak with one foot on the threshold of his car and leaning back against remembering something he obviously would never forget.

"One of your people spent a lot of time talking with me at an airport one time. I was going through a very difficult time in my life and his words made all the difference for me. I didn't give him anything or take his book then. So let me do it now."