CASSADAGA

I
“The first time I was here, you said past life regression was a form of time travel. I believe you said there were a couple of types of time travel. What did you mean?” “Well,” the little man leaned back in his chair and place his hands over his paunch. “As I said, there a several types of time travel. I call them mechanical, biological, spiritual and physical.” “Right,” Wolf agreed, “now I remember you mentioning them. So, what are the distinctions?”
“The one most people are familiar with,” the little man began, “is the mechanical. That’s where someone literally climbs into a machine and their physical body is mechanically transported back in time in order to change some wrong that has been committed, or to visit the world of the dinosaurs, as it were. All science fiction stuff of course, but based on theories in physics and all that junk our present high-tech world loves to embrace.”
“You sound pretty skeptical about it,” noted Wolf.

II
“Let me briefly explain what I mean, Mister Wolf. You see, time, as we know it … doesn’t care. Wait, please, allow me to finish before you roll your eyes. You see, we, as living creatures, exist in current reality to do certain things in preparation for the next level, as it were. In other words, we live to add different experiences to our spiritual resumes. But sometimes, sometimes life doesn’t want to cooperate. It doesn’t play fair, you see, and things don’t turn out the way the fates intended. For example, things like an untimely accidental death or incarceration or madness even … or in the case of the warrior, the violent death at the hand of another, who by the way, may have been put there for that one experience for his own resume. Anyway, those things can take place and disrupt their well laid plans. So, you see, the fates can’t plan to compensate for every possible type of interference that we run into, especially from other men.”
Wolf stared at the little man, trying to absorb and understand before commenting. “Okay,” he said, “please continue.” “Okay then,” agreed the little man and continued, “as I said before, time doesn’t care. Time is meaningless, ruthless, it’s impersonal and without fear, mercy or remorse. It moves in one direction only and if you go back, if you go back against that direction, you can only observe events that have taken place. Never can you effect change for future past events. So, what doesn’t happen in this lifetime, or frame of time if you prefer, since the fates don’t think in deference to lives or lifetimes, will happen in the next and so on and so on, which is why I refer to that line as a time-line. So, you see, whatever the fates decree, whatever is planned out in the larger scheme of things, will eventually get done. Do you understand?” “No, I don’t understand.”
“Okay, let me put it another way. The fates are nothing more than the accountants of time. What didn’t happen in this period, or fiscal lifetime, will happen in the next. The rule of the fate’s is, we, the accountants, will eventually collect, as it were.” “I’ll take your word for it for now, so please go on.” “Okay. Well it appears that you have been around for many years and have lived many lives. And just like this particular life you now find yourself in, one tends to collect baggage along the way. You see, unlike manmade things that degrade or rust away until they eventually disappear, close personal relationships built on the spirit level extend into future lifetimes, their bonds much too strong to be broken and so they are there waiting to be discovered over and over again. The human phenomenon of love at first sight is a prime example of this. It is in fact recognition of each other by two spirits. But it starts with strong bonds carried over from previous encounters, be they friends, relatives or lovers. For example, allow me to ask you a very personal question. Do you still continue to search for … her?”
Wolf was once again caught off guard by the question and a strong shudder spread quickly through his body, terminating in little bumps on his skin. He recovered and tried to mask the tightness in his throat, forcing himself to speak. “Search for who?”
The little man used his most subtle yet consoling smile while thinking to himself, ah, pay-dirt. When he spoke, his voice was soft and soothing. “Why, for her, the one. The one you are supposed to be with. You see, I notice you don’t wear a wedding ring, and you came here alone, so I assume you are single. Secondly, you must not be committed to anyone either or you probably would have been escorted to this little meeting.” The little man leaned back and smiled, then continued. “Let me clarify that. A great many women take more than a casual interest in these sessions, and a large percentage of them want to know what their men find out about themselves too.”

III
“… it’s not that I refuse to face bad news, oh heavens no,” he continued and let slip a small nasal giggle. “The reason is simple and sensible. If I reveal anything negative, it may prompt you to change your normal behavior or routines in some way. You know, to offset the event. You may try to cancel it out, as it were, and that could have long devastating effects. Why, it could cause a ripple effect to sweep through our own current reality, affecting many events of not only your own … but perhaps that of many others.”