outdate

Dearest Iqbal-

As I cryptically mentioned in my previous correspondence I have fled the Islay, following the path of General Washington's Continental Army north, up the Hudson River Valley and have bivouacked in a position of relative safety while I can wait for the AIG controversy to blow over. But just so you don't worry, unlike General Washington's army, I am remarkably well fed.

Up here in the provinces (hat tip) there's a lot of light and space and remarkably little for that light to shine on or stuff to fill the space. Might be do for some anthropological cavity searches, eh Doctor?

Oh, I forgot to tell you! I have received an official invitation to join the Brotherhood of Masons. Exciting! I'm sure you know all about the Brotherhood and their secret rituals and funny getups. I think in today's modern and secular society something as absurd and outdated as the Brotherhood is a tad refreshing. The only requirements for admission are you be a man (yes), free-born (was indeed), and believe in a higher power (but of course). The way I figure it'll be a great way to meet some new faces. And the motto, I love the motto: "It's our world, they're just living in it." Sometimes that's how I feel about you and me.

Speaking of outdated esoterica, that reminds me, my sister Lucia has decided to go to Clairvoyancy school. It started with a pseudo-religious experience she had on the subway in Baltimore wherein a woman across the car came bounding up and insisted that she knew my sister 'in a previous life.' Lucia got scared, lashed out at the woman with her over-sized purse and departed the train at the next stop. She wandered the streets of Baltimore for several hours before drifting into an academy for clairvoyants to avoid the gang related violence in the street. It was a sign! She signed up right away, putting a huge down payment on her tuition. A little facebook research later that night revealed that the person she'd known 'in a previous life' had dormed across the hall from her one semester at SUNY Geneseo. But with the down-payment already cleared out of her bank account and few other prospects, she has decided to give the Clairvoyancy thing a real (post) college try.

They started by asking her easy questions, like "Using all your faculties of Supposition and Intuition, tell me what color my hair is." Lucia aced all of those questions, leading her to think she might actually be quite good at this. She's been stumbling a bit on looking through doors and guessing people's names when their "Hi, I'm _____" stickers are obscured, but she's sticking with it. As you always say, practice makes perfect. You should write her sometimes. No doubt she'd love to hear from you.

-Robert de Saint-Loup