Dinner with Buddha by Roland Merullo Read Free Book Online

company. And, now, in his daughter’s.
    At that moment, Rinpoche came over to us where we stood near the counter. He was wearing a white Stetson. “How did it look?” he wanted to know, beaming.
    â€œIn some very weird way it suits you,” I said, because in some very weird way it did. The gold-trimmed maroon robe, the stocky body, the square, rust-brown face set on a thick neck. He looked like the cowboy from the old Camel cigarette ads, only in drag.
    By the time Seese emerged from the bathroom, the second purchase had been made. She looked at her husband—who was grinning crookedly at her—and shook her head as if to say,
you’re hopeless.
But, and this may seem strange, it was at that moment that I realized how deeply she loved him. The small headshake, the smile, the hint of laughter in her eyes—it reminded me so much of the way Jeannie would have reacted that I had to step outside, too quickly, and stand in the gravel drive, staring back up the road in the direction we’d come. Back in time.
    Just then the phone rang in my pocket. When I heard Natasha’s “Dad?” in my ear, I didn’t even say hello. I said, “What’s wrong?”
    â€œDon’t get worried,” she said. Which is the single most worrisome thing a parent can hear.
    â€œWhat happened?”
    â€œNothing, maybe, but it was a little strange. I forgot to buy something for supper and I was shopping in Dickinson a little while after you guys left and I was in the Kroger parking lot and this big dark blue SUV pulled up and a man got out. Very stocky. Chinese, I think. He came over to me. I was putting on my seat belt and I’d rolled down the window because it’s been hot and the car had been sitting there, and, without even saying hello, he said, ‘Is the Rinpoche with you?’ with kind of an accent, though he pronounced Rinpoche correctly.”
    â€œWas he threatening?”
    â€œNot really. He looked like he could have been, but he wasn’t. I told him Rinpoche was away and he asked, ‘Away where?’ and I said on a driving trip to the mountains and he just turned and got back in his car. But when he turned away from me it looked like he had a gun in a holster inside his shirt. There were other people in his car, I think, but the windows were tinted and I couldn’t see them.”
    â€œWhere are you now? Where, exactly?”
    â€œHome. At the center.”
    â€œIs Warren there?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œIs the security system on?”
    â€œWe only put it on at night.”
    Just then my trio of fellow travelers emerged from the White Butte Trading Company. By instinct I turned and walked a few paces away. “We can be back there in a little over an hour.”
    â€œDad! Never! I shouldn’t have called you. It was just, I don’t know, a little weird.”
    â€œWould you do me a favor, hon? Would you just call the state police and let them know? And go stay at Warren’s for a while, or go visit Anthony at school, or go home for a week or something?”
    â€œYou’re overreacting, Dad.”
    â€œMaybe not.”
    â€œIt didn’t have that feeling.”
    â€œYou said he had a gun, Tash.”
    â€œI
think
he had a gun. Everybody has a gun here now. And if he wanted to hurt me, he could have hurt me right then.”
    â€œIn the Kroger parking lot? With a hundred witnesses?”
    â€œIt was
Rinpoche
he asked about, Dad. I was just calling to ask you to tell him because he doesn’t answer his phone.”
    I looked over and saw Rinpoche with his white Stetson on. He was sending me a big smile. I beeped the car unlocked so they wouldn’t have to stand in the sun.
    â€œDad?”
    â€œI’m here, hon. I’ll talk to them right now. I’m worried. I’m concerned.”
    â€œI think you’re flipping out a little, Dad. Rinpoche will know what to do. Enjoy the trip. Love