“Hey, little bro’!”

Jim and Karen arrived on a four p.m. flight in San Francisco, to be greeted by Larry Christopher. Larry was basically an older version of Jim, although he was a bit shorter. He also paid more attention to his appearance, wearing a suit and tie as opposed to Jim’s T-shirt and jeans. He also wore his hair shorter; only to the base of the neck.

“How you doing, Larry?” Jim asked, shaking his older brother’s hand.

“Pretty good,” Larry replied, “pretty good. I hear the shows are going well.”

“Good response in Los Angeles at least.”

“You finally did that Beatles set.”

“Yeah. We’ve worked on it a while. How goes the store?”

“Very well, thank you. Business has really picked up. I hired a woman named Morgana to do tarot, and business skyrocketed.”

“She’s good?”

“Yeah, she’s good.”

Karen cleared her throat.

Larry frowned at his brother. “Jim, you’re being rude.”

Jim turned to Karen. “Sorry,” he said, “but I’m not used to this. I usually travel alone.”

“It’s okay,” Karen replied.

“At any rate, Dr. Karen Price, meet my older brother Larry Christopher. Larry, Karen.”

Larry scrutinized Karen very carefully. “Interesting,” he said. “Nice to meet you also.”

Karen raised an eyebrow. “Thank you. That was the most obtuse greeting I’ve ever received.”

Larry laughed. “I think I like you, Karen.”

“Good.”

Larry turned to Jim. “She knows, right?”

“Yes,” Jim answered.

“How intriguing. You may have a serious side to you after all, Jim.”

Karen looked confusedly between the two brothers. “What the hell is going on?” she asked.

“You are interesting,” Larry said. “You’ve got at least two secrets that you share with few people, though probably with Jim seeing what you know. You’re a multi-layered person, and you’ve got a sense of humor about it. And before you ask, I’m not a mind reader.”

“I never know,” Karen replied. “After meeting A.J. it tough to keep track.”

“You know about him too?” Larry shook his head. “Empath?”

Karen looked surprised.

“That’s one secret gone. Sorry. I was the first of us to study empathy and it’s effects on relationships. I study people for a living.”

“Excuse me?”

“Well, my bookstore pays the bills, but I theorize about people and relationships. Helps me with my customers who come in for occult information. That’s the majority of my business considering I run an occult bookstore.

“I’ve always theorized that anyone who entered a relationship with Jim or A.J. to find about both of them would have to have some empathic ability.”

“We empaths aren’t exactly common,” Karen said.

“True, but then there are a few of varied degrees in the Haight-Ashbury area. I live there myself.”

“Interesting. You keep files?”

“Yes.”

“I’m a psychologist. I’d like to see them sometime.”

“Okay. In the meantime, let’s get your luggage. When’s A.J. coming in?”

“Tonight,” Jim said, walking towards baggage check in.

“I guess he’ll have to miss dinner. Karen, do you like Chinese food?”

“Love it,” Karen said.

“Good. We go to Chinatown.”

“So you’re a child psychologist,” Larry said.

In San Francisco’s Chinatown district there was one restaurant that catered to American tastes without compromising Chinese recipes; the Four Seasons. It was on Grant Avenue, up a flight of stairs from the street, and was always very crowded. Larry, Jim and Karen were at a table in the far corner of the restaurant, eating mu-shu pork in pan cakes.

“Yes,” Karen said between bites. “I’ve been in practice for a while now.”

“You enjoy it?”

“Overall, yes. Helping kids through their problems can be very rewarding.”

“What is it that you do?”

“Counsel kids. Most of my kids have been through some kind of mental abuse.”

“Child abuse?” Jim asked.

“Yes, but not what you think. I have trouble handling the physical abuse cases because of my ability to read emotion. I’d have too much trouble with the transference of pain.

“I’m talking about kids who wet the bed because they can’t handle parental pressure. Introvert children who could be extrovert without having to deal with family expectations. Kids of single parents, latchkey kids. I refer a lot of kids to the varied big brother organizations in the Los Angeles area.”

“You believe in them?” Larry asked.

“Yes, I do,” Karen responded. “Look, a lot of kids have no one they can really identify with. Kids need a best friend, and they also need a role model. Big brothers have the rare ability to provide both in a single individual.”

“Good to see you so supportive,” Larry said. “I’ve always wanted to be involved in it, because I like kids but I disapprove of marriage, at least for me. My problem is my job. I’m an undesirable role model because of my involvement with the occult.”

“Are you a cultist?” Karen asked.

Larry laughed. “Heavens no. I’m just a bookseller. Some of my employees have been, but not me.”

A plate of broccoli beef arrived at the table, and Jim served up portions for everyone.

“You’ve never applied,” Karen stated.

Larry looked down at his plate. “You’re very perceptive,” he said, not looking up.

“Part of the talent. You’re afraid of rejection?”

Larry continued to stare down. “Do you hone in so well with your patients?”

Karen laughed this time. “I’m more subtle with children than with adults. Adults don’t always deserve it.”

“Some hostility there.”

“Perhaps, but I like my kids. If anyone goes after one of my kids I take it personally.”

“Look Larry, why don’t you give it a try?” Jim asked.

“Maybe I will,” Larry said, “maybe I won’t. I don’t know. Why don’t you?”

“Hey,” Jim protested, “you’re the wanting family man, not me!”

“Don’t you like kids?”

“Of course I do! I used to be one. I just don’t know how well I’d deal with them.”

“Hey, think of the potential role model - world famous rock star.”

“Who drinks and has public affairs.”

“Look guys,” Karen interrupted, “neither one of you will know until you apply for it. Maybe you both should.”

“Maybe,” Larry answered. “It’s worth considering.”

Jim said nothing, eating his dinner.

Larry took the hint and changed the subject. “You along for the whole tour, Karen?” he asked.

“No,” Karen replied, “just this show and the Phoenix date.”

“After all this time celibacy will be difficult,” Jim added.

“Hard, did you say?” Karen said, turned.

“Very punny dear. How will you manage?”

“I’ll buy a vibrator.”

Larry coughed, a bit embarrassed.

“Try to keep a civil tongue,” Jim said, winking.

“Maybe,” Karen replied.

A waiter came by the table offering chao-su-bao, which Jim took a hearty portion of. “I love Chinese food,” he said.

“Especially stuffed pig,” Larry commented.

“Hey, I’m hungry! Besides, road work takes a lot of energy to fuel.”

“Stop complaining. You’re still in California.”

There was a silence before Larry asked the question that had been plaguing him most. “How goes unification theory?”

“It goes,” Jim responded. “We’ve made some significant advances in the development phase.”

“In what way?”

“Codification. Thanks to some emotive insight from the lovely lady at the table with us we’ve been able to combine some of our formulae into single entities. We’ve got full flight now, for example, with Karen’s help.”

Larry nodded. “Good, good. A.J. had hinted at that. That’s one hell of a step. Any drawbacks?”

“One biggie,” Jim responded.

“I have to take over one of the thought processes,” Karen added. “Because of that, speech is lost.”

“Learn sign language,” Larry said.

“Good idea.”

“People should know it anyway. language is one hell of a barrier in this world. Sign language for the deaf, Esperanto for the rest of us. The world would be a lot easier.”

“Esperanto?” Karen asked.

Larry looked surprised. “Never heard of it? I’m shocked. It was developed in the latter half of the 19th century in an effort to universalize language. It’s never hit it big although many scientists and writers favor it. I speak it myself, as do many others in this area. Haight-Ashbury has always been big on mass consciousness.”

“Yech!” Karen said.

“Hey, what’s wrong with that?”

“Higher consciousness I can handle. Mass consciousness leads to apathy and entropy. If everyone thought alike we’d lose the competitive edge. I’d fight it every step of the way.”

“Everyone’s got an opinion,” Larry sourly replied.

Jim laughed and turned to Karen. “We’ve argued over this one for years,” he said. “I agree with you fully; mass consciousness is a scary thought.”

“Think about it though,” Larry said. “Your own work towards unification brings us closer and closer to it. You’ve broken flight and telepathy is probably half solved, knowing A.J. What will you do if you begin to make progress on mind control?”

“We haven’t explored it,” Jim replied.

“You stick around with Karen and someday you will, whether intentionally or not, and you full well know that A.J. has a curiosity streak in him that may just one day get him killed. It is unavoidable.”

Jim turned sour. “I refuse to accept that.”

“It is unavoidable,”” Larry insisted.

“Gentlemen,” Karen said sternly, “drop it now! I will not have the two of you fighting!”

Both Larry and Jim looked chagrined. “Sorry,” Jim said.

“Old feuds die hard,” Larry added.

“Pointless of both of you,” Karen responded. “Don’t burn the bridge before you find it.”

“Fair enough. You staying at a hotel?”

“Yeah,” Jim replied. “Most of the crew is.”

“Figures. A.J. is staying with me. He says he has some new data for me to go over.”

Jim raised an eyebrow. “Did he mention anything about video tapes?”

“No. Besides, I don’t even have a television set, let alone a VCR.”

“Good.” Jim and Karen spoke in unison.

Larry was unable to raise only one eyebrow so he raised both instead. “Interesting. I shouldn’t ask, correct?”

“Correct,” Karen said.

“Ah, I see. A compromising experiment. Fair enough. I’ll look at the data, and data only. I’m a chivalrous man.”

“It’s appreciated.”

“Yes, I know.”

Karen turned to Jim, who seemed lost in thought. “You okay?” she asked.

Jim smiled his smile. “Yeah,” he responded. “Just getting my pre-show jitters out of the way.”

“The day before the show?”

“Best time.”