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The Call - Fourteen been around the same time he saw the glowing Aunt Jemima in his bedroom-“‘in our meditation with the group one even- ing I got an image of a short man with balding, light brown hair. I didn’t recognize this man, but I was given a message that he would be coming in the future and that it was of the utmost importance to bring him into our group. The message said that without this man’s involvement, our group would not survive.” Ted listened without interrupting, keeping an eye on the fire escape and wondering how quickly he could get out the window and away from these crazy women. “The initials that were given to me,” Julia continued, “were T.R. When Harriett started talking about you, and I found out your name, I asked her to describe you. Ted, her description exactly matched the image of the man I’d been shown, and now that I see you, I know for certain that you’re the one we’ve been waiting for. I begged Harriett to bring you to the class, but you kept refusing. And since you wouldn’t come to us, I just had to come for you myself.” When Julia had started this explanation, Ted immediately felt uncomfortable. The episode of the shattered glass had set off all his old fears, and he wanted to be completely free of all things paranormal. But as Julia continued to talk, and to explain how her information had pointed directly to him, he slowly began to feel a comforting essence coming from the two women, in spite of the strange things they were telling him. Everything he’d been through in the past had only served to frighten and drive him away from the world of spirits. But Marie and Julia gave him an altogether different feeling, and he sensed that whatever they were involved in, it couldn’t be so terrible, since they were obviously gentle and sincerely good people. He listened attentively to the ladies for over an hour, and for the first time allowed himself to feel a curiosity about psy- chic phenomena, untinged by fear, and to acknowledge the wonder his past experiences had evoked. Finally when they finished speaking, Ted found that he wasn’t fighting the force that was drawing him into areas he had resisted for so long. Masquerade of Angels 138 The Call - Fourteen His fears had turned to curiosity. “All right, I'll try it,” he whispered, amazed by the words even as he said them. The two women smiled and nodded. Somewhere deep within himself he felt that his involvement was inevitable. The next time Marie’s group held a meeting, Ted was there. He knew that a momentous corner had been turned, but he had no idea where the spirits would ultimately lead him. Masquerade of Angels 139