So one of the Ents figured out I lived somewhere nearby and invited me to get together with him.

I sit at home all by myself most of the time, so the prospect of meeting a real person sounded pretty cool.

We met at the Karma Cafe, an aptly-named place that I think I wrote about once upon a time a few months ago. What I remembered most about the place was its perfectly Enty ambiance; not hipster, not yuppie, not New Age…just right.

I remembered saying I went up two levels of highness just walking in the place. That was close, but I figured out the real cause on this trip.

I showed up a bit late (due to having to move some (actual) trees and pot(s), which we had a small laugh about) and we talked intensely for at least 10 minutes before I thought to order something to drink. Then we got to talking in earnest, like for two hours, before I even realized any time had passed.

This was an awesome conversation. We talked about social anxiety, smoking while living at home, hiding things from your family, medical marijuana, vaporizing, different strains, becoming a patient, going to college, computer science and how it’s changed in the last 35 years. That led to me remembering how I used to sneak into NYU as a young teenager to use their computer, which reminded me of a telepath who used to hang around near there and read people’s minds for spare change.

Then I read his (the Ent’s) mind, but I didn’t realize it for two days.

This was about the same time that I decided we needed a treat, so I bought us some baklava, which put me in contact with the owner or manager or whoever, an older gentleman with a bald head, wire-rim glasses, and a smile like he knows you’re high and that’s cool because so is he.

That’s when I realized that he was what brought me up two levels last time, because as soon as I talked to him, the same thing happened.

He made us two teas free. Who does that, except in a place called the Karma Cafe?

Now we talked about heavy shit. The ego and who needs one. Or…”who needs one?” Is it ethical to take LSD for instant enlightenment? Will it even work? Timothy Leary. Richard Alpert -> Ram Dass, and the famous story. LSD overdoses and my (in)famous story. Set, setting, and sitters. Yellow Submarine. The Dave Clark Five, and why they were cool until we saw them playing accordions in the 60s. Becoming different and less of an anonymous nerd and more like yourself. Brainwave stimulation. Binaural beats.

Then we went out for pizza at Chicago Fire across the street (overpriced, but pretty amazing).

Guitars. Trumpets. Marching bands. Jam sessions. Blues. Jazz. Telepathy again. Cats. Cat
telepathy!

We knocked off precisely at 9 PM…almost 6 hours later.

Whoa.

Time flies when you’re having fun!

And a good time was had by both.