The Psionicist Guild 2: The Rules of Magic

By Ash Nom DePlume

These are the journal reflections of Lee Günter O’Neil, who has recently learned how to access the supernatural potential available within all free-thinking humans. In cooperation with Dept 1793, he has recorded his journey to “power” so that it can be shared when appropriate and, if some tragedy were to occur, the knowledge of how a Western thinking person can achieve usage of the potential all humans share. Originally this was 68 journals, but they were collected by and cataloged by Dept 1793, and now you can see that they have in their beyond top secret storage.
Follow along from Lee's point of view of how he went from trying to cash in on developing telekinesis at the casino. Like many, he was thinking of getting drunk, laid, and paid, and not necessarily in that order. Will it always be running for his life while in the friends zone with his commitment-challenged instructor, and what happens next?
This is a retitling of “The Rules of Magic” even though published 5 years before another book using the same name. Obviously, the publishing industry cannot tell us apart, and that one has a movie and mini-series while this one does not. I have no reason to believe that author knows about this inconvenience, so if you figure out the other work, don’t blame her. So if you have that book from my collection, save your money, and those older editions may be worth more money as they are not out of print.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ash Nom DePlume
• Release date: May 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215969083

Ash Nom DePlume

Pen Names are useful for separating the part of me that needs the day job and paycheck from the naughty fun of writing fiction. Between my day job and dyslexia, writing has been a challenge but you cannot keep a good story down. I hope you enjoy the stories. If you do, tell everyone, if you do not, tell me at the contact information in the book. Free access codes for the first Angry Brothers based story, the rest have a small honorarium though from time to time there are free. The Angry Brothers is a free show that can be found on YouTube and in many other places.Hidden in my stories are actual science facts, as well as a mystery or two when I can. I always try to keep the elements of a good story, A little religion, a royal figure, a little sex (sometimes a lot), and a mystery. This makes the shortest story that meets these requirements is, "Good God, the Queen is pregnant; who did it?"I hope the readers like my stories enough to come back for more and, better yet give favorable recommendations to their friends. Please check out my newest website http://www.ashnomdeplume.com to get more detail on books. If you are interested in proofreading or commenting on a galley copy let me know. It is all good fun and I do enjoy honest feedback even when it is you missed this error.Ash

Book preview

These are the journal reflections of Lee Günter O’Neil, at the time when he recently learned how to access the supernatural potential available within all free-thinking humans. In cooperation with Dept 1793, he has recorded his journey to power so that it can be shared when appropriate and if some tragedy were to occur, the knowledge of how a Western thinking person can achieve usage of the potential all humans share.

As this knowledge is too important to leave on a shelf and trusted to the government's good intentions, it is lucky for me and you, the reader of this and the other series I have purloined, that I can beat the security of this online storage service and enjoy. Since these are transcribed from handwritten pages, you will find out in later journals I cannot confirm if the names have been changed to protect the sources. The journals are not of an even length, which is how they are recorded or separated into instructional units.

It's all good as long as I don't get caught, so enjoy your voyeuristic view of his life. If you meet any of these people, don’t tell them you have been reading their innermost secrets; they might not like it.

Sincerely yours,

Your Secret Hacker

Reflective Journal Entry One

If you are reading this, you are an academic with high-security clearance. Otherwise, you were not careful about what you wished for, and the universe, in its perverse manner, gave you what you asked. If you are the latter, good luck, and read the warning labels on everything before you get in any deeper. My name is Lee Günter O’Neil, I am not a writer and not used to non-technical documentation, so if you are expecting Pulitzer-winning prose and perfectly edited materials like you would find in a good New York Times bestseller list book, you have come to the wrong place.

Waiting for a ride from a Police Station gives you time to think. Especially on a clear and cold December night or late morning if you must be technical. As the temperature drops, the moister also drops out of the air, giving it a bit of a bite.

There is nothing like knowing you cannot call on family. First, mine would not understand. Second, the pain-to-reward ratio for a ride, when a taxi would do, is just not worth it. I could have called a taxi, but I needed to chat with a friend and get another perspective on my situation.

Lily arrived sooner than I expected, but it was too long as it gave me time to think. I already relived the evening in the theater of my mind several times, and now I was going to have to go through it all again. This had better be good, she said from the window of her old Geo Metro. Climbing into the passenger seat, I started with, Coffee, I’m buying. I would say it has been a left turn on reality but left is usually a good direction, and this was not on my bucket list,

Coffee, last time we went for coffee, we got more than that, she said. A happy thought, but too much to ask. The last time we had hooked up, I got the first sex from someone other than Rosy Palm and her five sisters, that I had all year. When you are too poor to buy generic personal lubricant, you will know chafing.

Lily is a cute little brunette at just a shade over five feet, with a good weight-to-body ratio, plus the freshman fifteen pounds that never went away from college. She has nice boobs, too, even if she never can get a bra that fits them right to show them off, is my opinion.

I’ll even pitch in for gas, a meal, find us an IHOP or Village Inn that is 24 hours, I replied. Food bribes are always good with those of use in my socioeconomic strata. That is too poor to pay attention, with the rent-to-own payments that are getting hard to meet.

We could go back to the riverboats and get your car, and they have food there, she suggested. This would also get her out of having to ferry me back later. I needed to chat. I am more nervous than a stud dog that has been told he is going to the vet to get fixed up. Not quite sure of the future and can use a few comforting words and clarification.

Later, I am not sure I am ready for that right now, was my response.

Okay, but don’t you have to be at work in the morning, she asked while I buckled up. It is a good thing her car is a front-wheel drive, with too little muscle the way she stomps the pedals and jerks the wheel. Or that is the reason she stomps the gas and jerks the wheel. In either case, it makes for an interesting drive.

Nope, the opening act of this Comedy of Tragedies, or is it Tragedy of a Comedy, was getting fired? They call it restructuring to meet new client demands, I responded.

AND, you went to the Casino boats when you cannot afford to lose money when you have a job. Hell, how often did you walk to the store for exercise and save the gas money? Lily stated after having the good taste to give me a genuine that sucks look.

All you can eat buffet means gorge and go for twenty-four, before hitting the bottomless Salad & Chili at Wendy’s the next day, alternating with stops as friends and families to break things up. Repeat until employed, friendless, homeless, or a combination thereof, I shot back.

You forgot the soup kitchens and the all-you-can-eat steak buffets, which are cheaper than the riverboat buffets, she said with the authority of experience.

How are you able to afford Coffee, Gas, and a Meal? You’re not thinking the last dance of the Damned, are you? she asked with a concerned tone.

Got lucky at the Casino, risked $10.00, and came away with enough to get by on for a year if I am careful, I said.

IHOP, it is because this has got to be good, she said. We hit the on-ramp to the Interstate and topped out at almost the speed limit. Metro’s are good on gas, not on speed. Her car named Ollie, which she had before she went off to university while ‘he’ waited and pined for her in storage. Ollie is a rusted mess, one-pothole impact from structural failure, but she loved the loyal car. I was glad not to be walking, and I needed to pick Lily’s brain. Not that, as a male, I have anything against the rest of her. As I recall the last time we went for Coffee, what she held against me was just fine. If not for her collection of cats and her house always smelling like a litter box, I would consider propositioning her to save funds as roommates and see what develops.

I do love that the International House of Pancakes is 24 hours. At 3 a.m., I could use a cup of coffee and some food. Now, to be fair the police did offer to give me a ride to my car, but a heart-to-heart with a stranger who wears body armor for a living was not something I wanted to do at this time. We got a booth close to the bathrooms away from everyone. Not a lot of traffic on a Tuesday, I mean, Wednesday at this hour (even at Christmas season, or Yule as Lily would say) is all but empty.

Me, I didn’t care one way or the other, as I have not been at a Church in about 8 years. Ever since my family cut me off because of my last visit to a police station. However, I have been to a few other festivals in the last year, thanks to Lily and the girls at the bookstore.

Lily ordered some strange combination of waffles and salad, and I got a burger and coffee. Sweet as can be, Lily said, Spill it or do I have to come over this table and beat you like you owe me money? And you do! Sending a mixed message is not a problem with Lily, she could teach a course.

How can I resist a gracious invitation for social intercourse when presented like that? You want it chronologically or importance of events? I asked.

It is too late for suspense, give it to me biggest to smallest, she said.

Sounds like a porn casting call, I said.

You are not changing the subject, she said. As we both know, she is tri-sexual (will try anything sexual) with more of an interest in women than men. Hey, a woman who will watch porn with you can be a lot of fun, and her collection is newer and better than mine. Does it get any better?

When I came out of the casino, about twenty feet from my car, a man walking stopped, pulled out a gun, pointed it at me and said give me all of your money. As you can imagine my heart rate hit about 200, and all I could see was the end of the gun growing from its normal size to be about 4 feet across. Not being stupid, I reached into my pocket and got out the roll of quarters that I had and my wallet. Moving really slow so as not to set him off,

So far so good. You are here now. So how come the police station? she pushed.

He then said, ‘hand me the money’, so I opened my wallet and pulled out the thousand dollars that was there and held it out to him. He got real mad, put the gun right up to my nose, and said, ‘Where is the rest of it? I told him that was all I had in cash; the rest of my money is in the bank. He then took half a step back, putting his arm straight out at me, cocked the gun, and pointed it right at my left eye.

A car door slammed, and he started turning to look while the gun moved to my left just past my ear. Dropping my wallet out of my left hand, I grabbed the gun with my left hand with the roll of quarters in my right hand and hit him really hard in the throat.

He dropped like a ton of bricks, not even a twitch. The gun flew under a car and went off, putting a bullet into someone’s car. Probably mine, the way things are going. I took off, like a bat out of hell, and ran to the Casino. They called the police, and a lot of police cars and security showed up. The whole thing was caught on the security cameras, and there was a couple getting out of their car who saw the guy putting a gun in my face. They also called the police.

After two hours at the Police Station, repeating this about 5 times and verifying that my story matched what happened on the videotape, the cops said I could leave, and I called you," I told Lily.

Damn, are you going to have to testify in court and all of that? she asked.

He is dead. Hit his head hard on the ground I said.

Ouch are you going to have to defend yourself in court? Lily asked.

No, the video and witnesses show I only hit him once and he had the gun. Did I mention I was fired today too? I said. Trying to change the subject from the fact that I killed a man today, or last night to something else.

Yes, what happened there? she asked.

The collection agency got a big government contract to collect money owed the government, I told her.

So why does that get you fired, she asked.

"Eight years ago, in college, my roommate got the police called on him for partying too much, and I got home from school just in time to meet the police. Since I lived there, I got a minor in possession and the pot charge too. The judge did not buy that I had nothing to do with it.

Now, to be fair Max confessed to it all and swore that it was all his fault chasing after a couple of girls for a threesome. The Judge still didn’t let me off the hook, as I sure his butt buddy needed another conviction for incentive prize of the month or some such political bull shit. I am still mad as hell at Max, we had been friends since we were kids. My parents and I have almost not spoken since.

It took a whole hell of a lot of student loans to get me through college after that. Grades went to hell in engineering after that, though C’s and D’s get degrees. Now, I have a double major, so-so grades, and a criminal record that I did not actually deserve. Picking up a Fundamentals of Engineering & Professional Engineer One certificate on the first attempt and I still cannot get myself a job in the engineering field. Now, that I have been away from school for so long, never will get a job, even with a FE and PE1," I confessed.

You said you were going to give it to me from biggest to the smallest problems of the day. I think this beats the dead guy who had it coming. Did you or Max get your threesome for all that trouble? She said with some humor. I am ignoring the last question.

I won some money at the Casino, and the IRS took one-third of it. How does that rank on the day? I asked,"

A tie with the dead guy, maybe the winner if you get the IRS all over your butt too, she said deadpan, Anything else?

"Let me list it all. My car is on its last leg and starting to leak oil.

Fired two days before Christmas, unemployment is going to be extra fun to get with the holidays. I have never filed before, and I have no idea what I am doing.

The IRS thinks I make lots of money as a professional gambler, so will be looking extra hard at my taxes, so what little I was going to get back is toast. Student loans will want bigger payments if they think I suddenly came into money.

My parents did not invite me over for Christmas.

Somebody was waiting for me in the parking lot, so he knew I was coming out with money and was mad because it was not as much as he thought I should have had on me. As a result, I killed someone two days before Christmas.

I think I got all the big items covered," I said.

How much did you win, and where is it? Lily asked all serious like.

I tried to put $22,400 into the ATM at the casino so I would not have to carry too much cash, it wasn’t taking it. The casino was a bit ornery about it but eventually a woman in the cage arranged a direct deposit. They can take it out, they can put it in. I have a little over a thousand in cash, and what is left of a roll of quarters in my coat pocket. Some of them went all over the parking lot. Not bad for starting with 10 bucks to try my luck and a half-price coupon for the buffet, I said.

So, the robber knew you should have had more than one grand on you, she said.

Yup, I replied.

Which means he has someone working with him on the inside of the casino, she said.

Considering this guy was cocking the gun to make it that much easier to shoot me, makes me think that I have more problems than the police are telling me about, I said.

Please. Counseltucky PD officers have to get their momma/sister to confirm on the job application that they are the same woman to be considered for employment. And if Daddy is a cousin or closer, then they make you a detective, she quipped.

Great, and now I got you involved in this. Sorry. I need to go and find a hole to crawl into and hide for about six years, I said.

Not a problem. I do not think even ‘tucky’s finest will give out your personal information, she said.

The casino has it from the W-2G which has all my information on it. If the inside man has that I can’t go home either, I said.

You might as well crash at my place for a little while then since I am not on the form, Lily offered.

Thanks, but I don’t want to put you in danger, I said.

Bullshit! I know you hate my cats, but you still need to hide out for a little while. Until we can chat with the boys in blue that we know this is not following you home, she said.

I am so screwed, was my comment.

Chocolate and foreplay first. Now how did you manage to win, considering your luck doesn’t suck or blow, because you cannot get that much action out of it, she asked. Time to take the dive, but then again, everyone thinks that the people who work at new age bookstores like the bookstore are few fries short of a happy meal anyway, plausible deniability and the risk of losing a friend if it comes to that, but I need to talk.

Hypothetically speaking. Let’s say someone believed they had figured out how to nudge a roulette ball to hit black or to red on command. Or, cause a slot machine to feel it had five coins when only one went in; eventually, that would even up the odds and someone could come out ahead. A slot machine pays back about 95 to 99% of what is put into it over time. The payouts change based on how much is put in, I was saying before being interrupted.

Hypothetical, my ass, you actually figured it out. All the years of bitching on trying at witching and casting spells and such, and you figured it out. Now you see the whole personal gain argument coming to bite you in the ass, she said.

"Nonsense. It was not a spell where I asked the universe, a god, fairy or whatever to do something. Therefore, the consequences should be just the same as anything I did with my hands. How many times did you tell me about that with your Fairy magic variations on things, which you tell me is how Ollie keeps going, which could be considered personal gain?

Then, there is the grabbing parking spaces and wishing bad luck on assholes that give you a hard time. We are speaking hypothetically," I said. She gave her your spewing Bull Shit look.

"Well, I always thought the whole you have to be poor and suffer to practice magic is BULL SHIT. I always put it down as an excuse to be poor. I’m a witch, I must be poor, I must be punished, since a religion that is not my own doesn’t like me. Amazing how many people, who rejected a religion, are still allowing themselves to be controlled by that which they reject. Though considering my car, who am I to talk, about suffering for my art.

Spill it. I have been tutoring you on meditation and relaxation for the last six months, at no charge, I might add. Not to mention a few benefits for a friend in need. After your, fight-or-flight experience, how are your balls doing? What are the rules?" she asked.

Blue and I am out of lube, so unless you are offering. We will stick to the how question for now. I approached this like an engineer. Just because I can’t get a job as one and my grades suck doesn’t mean I didn’t pass the courses and have the legal qualification. More to the point is, I Think, like an engineer, trying to hack the universe, I said.

I will pour coffee, you talk, she replied while filling my cup and starting in on the milk and sugar for me.

Hand me your sketchbook, I will need a couple of sheets to spell it out, I said.

Bad puns mean liquor as well as chocolate, boo hiss, SPELL it out, and if you do that again you get mentholated Vaseline, she said.

That will bring a tear to your eyes. Sorry, didn’t even notice the pun, I said while taking her note-pad to make bullet points. Until disproven, lore will be considered possible and part of the common belief pattern that we may have to overcome. Just as any form of progress has to do. But it creates a canvas to paint a picture of reality upon.

First, that human will can affect the universe

Supported by observer effects in physics, see Young’s double slit experiment if you need a solid example.

Magic is, therefore only science that is not yet fully understood, Arthur C. Clarke if I remember right.

That there may be some truth in legends therefore consideration for commonalities or testable items is to be given.

The human brain uses/produces about 15 watts of power.

I am estimating based on my results that about 10 watts can be used in directed activity, the rest if for overhead things like breathing.

Power directed towards activity is proportional to what can be done.

Body and hand gestures require nerve as well as muscle energy, therefore may contribute.

Supporting the idea that traditional spell casting has physical movement components.

Some forms of meditation, prayer, have physical components too, dance and other forms that are supposed to make a difference, rain dance or belly dancing anyone.

Order of operations is part of the rules of magic.

Spells and prayers must always be in exact order.

Music is a great way to remember things in an exact order.

Music is used throughout all religions, for a reason.

Stories of music being used is common in many forms of magical lore.

Chats are also mnemonic devices used to get prayer and magic ceremonies just right.

Since the order of operations is part of the rules, then it follows that an analogy to computer programming can be made for any spell or magical work.

Rituals can be thought of as major programs with many subroutines.

Simple spells or tasks can be thought of as applications or subroutines.

The human brain is an organic computer.

Therefore, subconscious activity is similar to background operations, without a need for frequent interaction with the user.

Conscious thought is foreground operations, requiring interaction with the user.

Since the human will does affect observations.

Therefore:

Faith has power.

Belief has power.

Placeboes can have real effects; therefore, local conditions can be influenced by a strong enough belief in local proximity.

The predominant belief of the local mindset will influence how things happen. Science breakthroughs happen all the time when a strong-willed person rejects the conventional wisdom and shows the event or some other proof, mathematical or otherwise, that cause the prior wisdom to be shown not to be accurate.

As magic is just science that is not understood, application of scientific knowledge can lead to a better understanding of magic.

Magical energy follows the rules of understood energy.

Conduction, physical contact as part of the transmission of energy work with magic, (metals precious and otherwise have always been given attributes in these matters).

Radiation is a means of energy transmission.

Therefore:

Inverse square law.

Reflection & Refraction.

Optical effects of patterns.

Pictures.

Texture and patterns like cloth.

Photoengraving is an analogy for setting a pattern on or into an object’s makeup.

Focus, images (real and virtual).

Storage & Conversion are possible.

Candles have been used to pre-history (lore always states)

Thermodynamic energy is energy as a Joule is a Joule therefore, as magic is using energy, then it is convertible to magic?

The candle can be engraved or given a pattern matrix that is used in magic?

Other objects, such as crystals and gems, can be charged or given a pattern.

Smell and Sound also are part of Magic, and cannot be ignored.

Incense is a part of all religion and magic lore for a reason.

Music is more than just a memory aid, though it is that too.

Sounds in themselves can have power, as sound is a form of conductive energy transfer.

Words can be more powerful sounds as it is said the universe may have begun with a word or a phrase, though the idea and the intent underlying it all adds to the synergetic effect to the energy.

Emotion and Intent can be transmitted as part of the energy and, therefore cannot be ignored, and maybe at the soul of the whole thing.

I showed my outline to Lily for her examination.

You have been playing at coming around the bookstore as an excuse for a walk, a little slap and tickle, and a way to relax, She said while noticing just how long my outline is.

While it took her a few minutes of reading, I downed a cup of coffee.

You know that if this was shown to the ‘trained practitioners’ they would not get half of it or be offended that they did not figure it all out. I think you got the major points and a few things that I don’t get YET. But do you have anything to back it up with? she replied.

I caused her coffee to slide from her right-hand position to the center position between her two hands. If she is going to talk with her hands, she can expect that things will get moved about. I said, Oh, I forgot, I gave her a wink as this happened.

With a gulp and eyes, the size of silver dollars, May the 4th be with you or is that May the Force be with you, just took on a whole new meaning. How, how, does it work, do you do it? You didn’t mean to kill that man, did you? she said. I am guessing her heart rate is a good 110, and she will be making a restroom run in a minute.

No, I did not mean to kill him. I just hit him, and he hit the ground so hard and completely that his brain broke. I hit him in the neck. I was going for the while he is choking and loses/lowers the gun, and I run. P.S. gravity is on, and skull meets asphalt, at about 20 kilometers an hour for someone at six feet in height, I said. The fall is similar to hitting your head on the windshield of a car for driving without a seatbelt.

How do you do it? she asked.

Look at the outline. It is all there, other than I think about doing it. After doing the meditating techniques that you taught me. Enough of it is on the right track apparently, I found the correct ‘circuit’ in my brain to directly exert my will on matter and energy, I said with a shrug.

Why didn’t you tell me the first time you did this, why now? Lily asked. Looking a little hurt.

"The first time I thought I was just fooling myself and lost what is left of my grip on reality. I was trying to do something else, anyway. Then in my delusion, I tried it again.

It worked, but I got a case of ‘brain freeze’ similar to when you eat ice cream too fast. For a couple of days, all I could do was just meditate on making the pain stop and promise myself to never push it that hard again, it gave me something to do on my days off. I was in enough pain, that I could not even call you to say, I fucked up," I said. She had that look of good comeback, and fear as to what is the price of this power.

"Eventually I felt that I could try again without having a stroke. Being able to walk around without pain and wanting to reach in my head and pull out what is frozen helps. Monday at work after a frozen brain migraine from hell weekend sucked!

After a few hundred attempts, I managed to get the corner of the piece of paper to move with a degree of control. Like weightlifting, I kept going for more weight and control. Control was easier than weight, but both take it out of you. Walking with a friend on your back across town would be less exhausting.

I re-read everything that the bookstore, internet, and sci-fi shows had on telekinesis, looking for clues. After some experimentation, I figured out the rules in the outline," I said. The secret has been eating at me for a while and it did feel good to have someone to share it with. It was a big one and not as easy to keep quiet about. I think back to all the high school dating games and the secrets and who was going out with whom, and how that seemed impossible to keep quiet about, it was child’s play compared to this.

Well you can tell me, but this is scary stuff. Whole religions and civilizations have risen and fallen over rumors of this kind of power, never mind the actual thing. What was it you were trying to do when you messed up and found the ‘holy grail’ of magic? Lily asked. I had been dreading this question.

The mental masturbation exercise you did for me, I said quietly.

I had to give you a hummer to calm us both down after that one. There was a follow-up action if I recall right, she said with a wink.

I poured more coffee and tried to keep my other head from overriding my getting her insights into this.

Now, let’s look at this chart. What is an inverse square law? My degree is in anthropology, and if you think you have job problems, try being a social scientist during a recession, she said.

Inverse square law is the rule that radiation, you know all forms of light even those we cannot see, have to follow. A candle appears a certain brightness say one foot away from it. If you double the distance to two feet, it will now appear to be one-fourth as bright as it does at one foot. Go out to three feet is one-ninth, with four feet being a sixteenth of what one foot was. I found that the amount of mass I could control dropped off just with the same ratio which is evidence that telekinesis is a form of radiation, I explained.

Now I remember, from high school science and I even passed that test, one of the few. Gravity does the same thing. Now you have refraction, reflection, and optics and such here. Can you do that with telekinesis? We need a better word. If someone overhears it gets hard to say with a straight face, she added.

"As much of this follows the magic legends, and the inverse square law worked, I put two and two together as it were. How many things do you sell at the store for focusing and reflecting magical energies?

Maybe it is all BS, but light can be focused and reflected, why not ‘psionic’ energy? I make a distinction between personal ‘psionic’ energy and other forms of magic. As religions and calling on other powers, which may be all true or not, also seem to have other rules. While what I do with my mind and body would only carry the moral responsibilities and cost that any person has with any of their personal actions.

Trying to put it all into one big package gave me a bigger headache than trying to understand the proposed Grand Unification Theories of Quantum physics.

One size fits all does not always work. So as ‘magic’ is defined as science that is yet to be understood, I applied the rule of keep it simple stupid," I said in between sips of coffee and bites of my burger, which was surprisingly good. The cook really got this one perfect. Note to self, Big Tip.

So, when did it all start to come together for you? Lily asked.

About three weeks ago, I answered.

I am so jealous. I have been screwing around with this for years and I got an unmarketable degree, a clerical job that pays less than I made in high school in spendable income and a drive the same car I bought with my high school job. How bad is this headache thing and does everyone have to go through that process? she shot back.

As it was the failure in my mental screwing around but you are on the right track with that question. How is it you have a house then, I asked.

My sister bought it for me. I helped her out on a research project that she did and got her enough information to keep her in work for 10 years. She can probably stretch it out until retirement if she is careful with it. She would love this, as it a big part of what she is researching but I don’t trust the people she works for, and we have enough problems with some parking lot robberies and unknown partners, she said.

Nice present. You must have helped a lot, I said.

I was always a bit psychic. I know you think it is all mumbo-jumbo, but I did know to cancel out early on girls’ night out and fill up Ollie with gas. I even cleaned out the litter boxes three days early and put a twelve-pack of Mt. Dew in the fridge and I hate the stuff. Actually, the formal research I did going through old legends and stuff, you might have noticed I have a better library on academic thought concerning magic than the bookstore, is what got me seriously interested beyond having better intuition than my girlfriend’s, she said.

At this point, we had finished our meal and went back to her house after stopping at the grocery store to pick up a few more items, including chocolate and liquor.

Lily’s house was a small place but had a garage in the basement and the rest is fully decorated, with a spare room. I thought it was the best part of the house, so did the cats.

Which put me upstairs, which I find either too hot or too cold, and with the exception of the bookshelves, is a filthy mess. Now, I would just as soon as make a dental appointment as have to clean, but I do keep my own place presentable.

After being up for 24 hours, having completed a full day’s work at a job I hate, being fired from said job I hate, hitting the casino, mediating my way to money as it were, getting mugged, taken to the police station, I still found it necessary to get out the big green trash bags and a vacuum cleaner.

Two hours later, I was done with the living room and kitchen. The bedroom and office scared me from the doorway. The couch was looking good. After some coaxing, Lily convinced me that there were fresh sheets on the bed, so I would not itch from the cats, and to take a shower and to come and get some ‘sleep’. The 1950s bathroom had all the signs of the stereotype of a single female without a clue on tools trying to repair things. ‘After I get some sleep’, was my only thought as I finished my shower and went to the bedroom.

Going to bed at 9 a.m. is strange, but I was very tired. About 2 p.m. The sun hitting the windows just right to get by the blinds woke me up. Lily was in the office, as she called what should have been a bedroom, furnished with a table, computer and lumpy office chair, and a load of what I considered crap on the floor. Half-finished knitting and needlepoint projects and a lot of tarot card decks and crystals scattered around the room.

After brushing my teeth with a new fancy toothbrush, I went to the kitchen. Having a few dollars in my pocket for once, I decided to splurge on the super brush and was strangely surprised. Maybe there is something to the finer things in life. True to her word, there was a cold twelve-pack, now eleven Mt.Dews, in the fridge. Sometimes, it is even better than coffee.

Entering the kitchen, Lily said, I just ordered us a pizza. You’re buying, and you can demonstrate some of your ‘talents,’ and if I am impressed, maybe tonight I will show you mine, she said with a seductive twist. Working on the caffeine hitting my system, I was moving slowly but said, My car, mad robbers, and their friends, should we not worry about those items?

"Food first. It is Christmas Eve, so the malls and roads are a mess. We can get your car anytime. If they had it towed, it would be a blessing. Ollie, my loyal and somewhat rusty beloved Metro, is three times the vehicle of your wreck.

Besides, nobody knows you are here, a safe house, the whole idea is that we are safe, and delivery means less exposure in public. I am off until the 26th and have the early shift which is also good," miss all too perky Lily went on.

You are way too happy in the morning, was all I could get out.

It is not MORNING, and you have unlocked what may be one of the greatest secrets of human existence, and you are not jumping for joy. Right now, life should be one massive orgasm for you. Have you thought about the implications? she said.

"Don’t tease, my balls hurt. I have had about a month more time to think about this than you have. Yes, actually, being desperate enough to try my trick at the Casino was a serious rush and almost sexual experience when it worked.

Sometimes, I missed, but that was good because, as it was I think security was giving me the evil eye for someone who cheats. I had hoped to get enough cash so I would not need anything for a long time. That way, I could do some more mastery of things before I found myself getting in too deep. Our friendly mugger ruined that fantasy.

The blankety-blank IRS took too big a bite, and now I will have to keep records to keep them from storming into my life like the want-to-be Nazi Gestapo. Now you are in danger, too. You know what they say about a little knowledge being a dangerous thing," I said. The IRS taking their cut really hurts, and I am not discussing how my balls feel right now.

Well, you can teach me how to do this after pizza. We can try to keep each other within moderation in all things. Besides, if I can learn your tricks, there are a few things I would just love to upgrade around here, Lily said.

Your bathroom really needs a man’s touch, I said.

"That ain’t the half of it. Half a dozen projects need some love and a shit load of money. You cannot see half of them because of the snow.

The deck, the retaining wall by the driveway, and don’t start me about the potholed yard from mowing hell.

I would just love a dishwasher and maid service, she said, and then started half singing and humming as she left the room ‘If I was a rich woman, nada dada dada de da, A minute later, she came back with my wallet. Pizza will be in 5 minutes, or it is free. I am going to freshen up," she said as she left the kitchen again.

Opening the fridge to see what is in there that goes with pizza, I realized that ordering pizza might be the only way for me to survive without another trip to the store for food. Lily did not live up to the stereotype that a woman can organize a kitchen and stretch a food dollar.

The fridge so needed a major cleaning and restocking later. If I had to refuge while I got my head together and determine if there is any further danger from the partner of the mugger. I couldn’t prove there was a partner, but the timing of the mugger and his expectation that I would have more than one thousand dollars was too much for a coincidence.

The pizza arrived within the time limit and included all the extras and side dishes that should go with a good pizza. The price also showed it. Now I remembered why I did not order pizza very often. Then, I haven’t had money for this kind of carbohydrate orgy.

I gave Lily five hundred dollars to put toward the bills that I was going run up in the future. As we had no idea how long I was going to need to hide out. Not that hiding out with a woman who likes to walk around without clothes and likes sex is a bad thing. Her cats, while nice enough for cats, smell, yes, I know dogs smell too, but they take their business outside. Which has to be picked up later but doesn’t make the house smell like a litter box. Though today all I could smell was the sandalwood incense and scented candles.

After the pizza, Lily and I had class. I demonstrated moving small items around keeping them within a one-meter range to my body. Lily tried but had the same success I had at first. A whole lot of nothing, which also resembles my sex life.

With some insight that I had not had, she came up with an inverse square law test to see just how far and strong I could cause things to move under my telekinetic control.

A paper plate stacked with sugar cubes. I would move them as far as comfortable. There isn’t the muscular pain of lifting too much, but a mental fatigue and difficulty concentration associated with doing too much. When I pushed too hard, I get the ‘head freeze’ headache from when I would eat ice cream too fast as a kid.

She even had a biofeedback monitor to see if there was a change in heat rate. When the load was too much at a distance, I would knock off a cube or two. After a while, I could move the whole stack and now could do a second movement action to removing cubes.

We also discovered that when I was getting past my comfort curve of 500 grams or about a pound at a distance of one meter to 5 grams, which is about a seventh of an ounce at 10 meters or a little over 30 feet. Funny thing, or not so funny thing is that a small caliber rifle bullet is about 5 grams. My best ‘throw’ within the ten meters of tough does reach bullet-type velocities. Ten Newtons of force dropping off according to the inverse square law does not get rifle bullet speeds. Do the math if you doubt me. You should be doing the math anyway, if you are not, start. The answer works out to be a 5-gram aerodynamic projectile will be just under 32-64m/s which is about a third to two-thirds of a slow bullet, depending on if the 10 Newtons of force starts reducing by the inverse square law at my head or one meter from my head as a point of reference. I don’t even want to think of how to calculate the effects of friction. I don’t currently have a firing range and precision timing equipment to get exact numbers on something I do my mental feel, so may never get from here to there on numbers.

But it could be fast enough to hurt and be potentially lethal, if I put my mind to it hitting something important. Considering that someone tried to kill me once it was something to keep in mind.

At 5:30 Lily declared it was time for her to pay off. As it is a bad week for intimate contact for her, she was VERY considerate with her other skills. I do so love a woman who understands that a post-orgasm long low kiss is more sensitive than before. And is as important as what she did to get me screaming in the first place. A moment to pause. Yes, oral sex may be proof of a higher power and that there is a meaning to life. Damn cats! Also, Lily is not totally devoted to enjoying the male of the species, which does cut into my place on the totem pole.

As one final experiment for the afternoon or early evening, she asked if I could get a towel rack put back on the wall. The mounting piece had fallen off and was inside the wall. Could I reach inside the wall, find it, and pull it up to the hole to put the towel rack back on the wall?

It was very much like the exercises of mentally following a coin into a vending machine or slot machine and hitting the counting tripper a few extra times, so one coin equals five. In a few minutes, I managed to get the broken tile glued back together, with only a few small cracks showing, and the rack was back on the wall.

This made a big difference to the old bathroom, which almost looked happier. I was able to take the showerhead off and mentally scrape all the mineral deposits out of the pipes. As the pipes were never more than a couple of feet from me, I could put a lot of power into a small location without effort and the running water brought the crap out. I was thinking that if I could figure out how to do this without anyone seeing, I could make a fortune fixing old bathrooms.

If I was ever invited back to my parents, I would have to give the plumbing treatment, as the water pressure was not all the good 10 years ago, when I left home, and could not be getting any better. A fireman and a nurse make a nice living but not so nice as to be able to rip out all the plumbing, especially with three kids even if they no longer gave me the time of day.

After I cleaned out the tub which had about 20 pounds of mineralized crap in it. I did the math to figure out that pipe, in theory, could hold 300 pounds of mineralized deposits if it was 100% filled from the water main to the shower head. As 90% of the stuff came out of the last 4 feet of pipe, I estimate that the pipe was also 90% blocked up for that section. Considering the lousy water pressure and volume that came out of the shower and sink, this estimate seems reasonable.

I showed Lily the results of what I had done while she had gotten all made up for going out. A whole lot of girlie screaming later she kicked me out of the bathroom, so she could have a proper shower. After years of camp quality showers, she couldn't care less that she was going to have to redo her makeup.

After she was done, I had a quick shower, which was delightfully water-wasting and luxurious. Note to self to adjust her water heater and get a water-saving shower massage head, to go with the rejuvenated pipes. I remounted the cracked and otherwise broken pieces of tile along the tub wall, squeezed the repair glue, and caulked into all the places you cannot get them without ripping the wall apart. Lily said something about tonight’s ‘hummer’ as she liked to call it was going to be an opera. I think I should be scared, very scared.

Reflective Journal Entry Two

Even though it was Christmas Eve, Lily suggested, as in drove directly to the Crossroads Mall, parked by the door, and told me that I am getting new clothes even if she had to pay for them.

Maybe, just maybe, she had a point; my Docker’s look-a-like pants were bought on deep discount, which did not look great 3 years ago, and my equally old shirt wasn’t looking any better. With the weight I had lost while doing a whole lot of walking these last three months, my belt was not an optional item if I was going to stay dressed in public.

Concerning the study of magic, there is a special sub-set of laws that govern the passage of time and how much money can be spent in a mall. It felt like 3 hours, the clock says it was 35 minutes, and the charge slip to my debit card said almost five hundred.

Genuine Dockers in my correct size, new shoes, and a good-looking leather coat, along with a new shirt and medium-weight sweater, shows that Lily can find bargains when you compare what I have to what it cost, but….

The cumulative effect on the bill is such that even if my newfound ‘magic’ powers continue to work, and I can continue to get away with it at the riverboats, there isn’t enough money to keep it together. I know it has been a while since I was actually paying attention to the mall prices. Usually, I am in for one item, on sale, or the food court. Holy price tags, Batman, the Christmas sale still made the bill look like a rent payment instead of a single set of clothes. How do families with kids get by?

A trip through Dillard’s later Lily had identified what she was coming back for on the after-Christmas Sale. There are some shoes on her hit list. As I thought about it, Lily has very few clothes or shoes, but what she has is all good stuff. No knock-off or look-a-like items, either they are real, or they are not.

As the mall was politely tossing everyone out on the holiday evening, it was finally time to go back and see about getting my car. Looking at my trusty scratched-up watch, dinner was a good idea too. Maybe we could stop and see if the slots wanted to contribute to my wallet.

The holiday traffic made the trip a lot longer than it should have been, and the snow was not helping any. We pulled up to the valet parking, which while it had a cost, after last night was looking cheap. The valet had the ‘you have got to be kidding’ look on valet parking a Geo Metro that was a rusted-out hulk ten years ago but accepted the tip without complaint.

I then spotted a security guard and inquired about my car being there for the last 24 hours. Also, I wanted to see if they wanted to go out with me since the last time a man was killed in the parking lot near my car.

He called his bosses to let them know that he would walk out with me when they called back over the radio that the supervisor would be right now. Two minutes later, Larry, the shift manager, arrived. First apologies for last night, and to tell me that police had impounded the vehicle when they found the windows smashed out and the tires slashed. Second, they have been calling my cell phone, trying to reach me. I pulled out my cell phone to find that it was in silent mode, and that there were a lot of missed calls.

Larry escorted us over to the special members club, VIP or Premier something or another, where they had a membership card and some complementary (Comps) vouchers for free meals, a couple nights in the hotel. They are embarrassed that anything could have happened on their property and that the police found the employee who had somehow taken a picture of my W-2G the hotel had for me and sent it to the mugger with another picture of me.

Larry even walked us over to the Buffet and had it Comped (their shorthand for complimentary or free) for us. I invited him to sit with us and bring me up to speed on what was happening. After a minute on his phone with his boss, he said okay and filled in a few blanks as well as telling me that the police detective who had been trying to reach me would also be joining us.

Larry explained how it was prohibited that any information got out of the cage and computers as they are trade secrets and bad for business. That I was to feel free to use the valet or ask for an escort in the lot, and that many of the regulars take advantage of this service since safety is not a joke.

This may be the first time that security has ever had a drink or a meal with a client since their job is to catch cheaters. Obviously, my debut at the casino warranted a little variation from the norm. He asked what my system was, ever the security chief. I explained just plain dumb luck, though when I played at roulette, I only played eight spins since the laws of probability catch up with everyone. Larry’s body language indicated that this made sense and was not setting off any alarms.

Otherwise, I tried my luck at video poker and the slots, though the people who were there ahead of me complained that they were cold. He laughed and said that they probably ‘warmed’ them up for me. There was an inquiry about my new clothes, and he told me that he thought it was great that I got some new things out of my luck. It seems that almost every big winner puts it all back without anything to show for it. At worst, I got some new clothes and a few meals out of the deal. I found myself liking this guy, even though his job is to catch people cheating, and I am sure he would not like my advantage if he knew about it.

I do not have any physical contact with the games, so, is it cheating? From a legal point of view, that is. Yes, I am taking their money, but under the rules of the game, they get all these house advantages, and there are no rules that say that ‘psionic’ abilities or telekinesis are forbidden. I understand there are all kinds of rules about computers and other devices, and they really do not like card counters. To be honest, I am not sure I could keep track of the cards. I tried to see if I could ‘feel’ the different faces of the cards and so far, nothing.

Detective Skoda showed up about then and joined us. I offered to buy him a drink, and he declined that it was not allowed and that he would not be here that long. First, the police had the accomplice which I knew from Larry.

Second, my car was vandalized, and the damage looked like more than it is worth, and it no longer runs. It was in the impound yard as evidence, and that I could have it in about a week. No charge on the impound for the first 30 days since they want it for evidence. If I didn’t want it back, they could arrange for the salvage people to fetch it for me, but it would only be worth 50 bucks in iron weight. I did get a "sorry for the long delay, but the holidays and all of that.

Third, which is that my mother made him promise that I would call her as soon as he finished talking to me. Maybe I should have let the gunman kill me after all.

I got the how come you don’t check your phone lecture. Then there was that what the hell are you doing at a Casino, and then claim not to make any money if I have money to waste at the casino bitch-fest.

The free coupon slowed her down, but she had heard from the police about the attack on me in the parking lot since I had won. How could I have won enough money to get killed over at that heathen place that should never be allowed to exist! Remember what happened with Noah, and that whole rift of guilt was my next sermon.

Followed with ‘how come I did not call them?’. Explanations about the last time I called them when the police were involved was why we have hardly talked in 8 years. My dad and I then got into it about how they went through all this with my brother Robbie and that I was making excuses just like he did.

Pointing out to them that I am not my brother and that I had never done anything wrong worth mentioning before my roommate got me arrested did not help the conversation. The follow up that they are so busy confusing me with my brother that maybe they need treatment for Alzheimer’s did not help my case.

I think I was getting the don’t forget to tell the priest at confession about the commandment about honoring thy parents since that one would need repeated penance when I hung up the phone.

Detective Bob Skoda commented that he had heard worse, but usually it was the perpetrators, not the victims, who got that much fire and brimstone. He also suggested that if I had a dog to pay attention if it sounds an alarm.

Since there may be gang involvement with the guy, I killed someone named Hector Gonzales, who was every stereotype of a bad illegal immigrant and part of some drug dealing gang with a reputation. Did I have a gun? If not, he strongly suggested a good shop that would also arrange training so I would not shoot myself.

He told me that it was great that I had a friend who I could crash with for a few days. That it is best to stay off the radar since my home address and the bad guys probably know the address of my parents. My car, which I have had since I was sixteen, has my parents on the title as well as registered to their address.

I was just going to love the ration of shit I was going to get about bringing my sinful and now violent problems to their home. I wish they were as cool about life and things as the parish priest, Father Luke, who I have not seen in 8 years either. That is not his fault, and while I am not religious or much of a scholar of Christianity and Catholicism, I have never been a big believer or opponent.

Later I was thinking that more than a few drinks are in order. After dinner, which was excellent, Larry stopped by to say hello again and introduce us to a professional poker player named Steve. Since I had gotten lucky and