Chapter 8

           Inthemeantime,though,IhadtogoonthistriptoIndonesia.

           Whichhappened,again,becauseofamagazineassignment.JustwhenIwasfeelingparticularlysorryformyselfforbeingbrokeandlonelyandcagedupinDivorceInternmentCamp,aneditorfromawomen’smagazineaskedifshecouldpaytosendmetoBalitowriteastoryaboutYogavacations.InreturnIaskedheraseriesofquestions,mostlyalongthelineofIsabeangreen?andDoesJamesBrowngetdown?WhenIgottoBali(whichis,tobebrief,averyniceplace)theteacherwhowasrunningtheYogaretreataskedus,"Whileyou’reallhere,isthereanybodywhowouldliketogovisitaninth-generationBalinesemedicineman?"(anotherquestiontooobvioustoevenanswer),andsoweallwentovertohishouseonenight.

           Themedicineman,asitturnedout,wasasmall,merry-eyed,russet-coloredoldguywithamostlytoothlessmouth,whoseresemblanceineverywaytotheStarWarscharacterYodacannotbeexaggerated.HisnamewasKetutLiyer.HespokeascatteredandthoroughlyentertainingkindofEnglish,buttherewasatranslatoravailableforwhenhegotstuckonaword.

           OurYogateacherhadtoldusinadvancethatwecouldeachbringonequestionorproblemtothemedicineman,andhewouldtrytohelpuswithourtroubles.I’dbeenthinkingfordaysofwhattoaskhim.Myinitialideasweresolame.