They were used to strange people visiting Adam’s rooms because, after all, they were a counselling and coaching centre. Yet, what took place just then was one for the books. Adam had a nagging suspicion about this man. Something wasn’t really right, and he felt that there was more to the story than this elderly man was letting on. He appeared full of secrets or was hiding something. Meanwhile, Carol came in and told Adam that the lady from the local paper called again and asked if they wanted to re- advertise for a discount. Adam decided to let the ad run again, but this time, change it to bold print to hopefully capture more people’s attention.
Three days after the ad appeared, a radio station called. A heavy, masculine voice was on the other side of the phone. He wanted to speak with the manager or the person who placed the advertisement. Adam spoke briefly with him and soon realised that he was being sarcastic and disrespecting Adam.
“So you looking for people who see dead people, is this correct?” the radio announcer sniggered. “What’s this all about?” He quickly added.
Adam explained that it was a research assignment, nothing ground-breaking or sinister. He further explained that it was routine from time to time to embark on transcendental work as research projects. Adam pointed out that students are looking for people with the ability to see visions they feel are vivid and carry messages. He heard the announcer chuckle in the background, but suddenly realised that he was live on air. The show was broadcast across the state and in nearly half of the country. Adam decided to use the situation to his advantage and continued promoting his advertisement and the name of his practice, irritating the announcer, as it was not going according to the radio announcer’s plan. Before the broadcaster realised that he was no longer in control of the conversation and that he was giving Adam free advertising airtime, he abruptly terminated the call.
After hanging up from the radio station, Adam sat back in his chair and secretly smiled to himself. He wondered if this would do the trick and envisaged thousands of psychic people swamping his office to be part of his new venture.
Carol then buzzed Adam on the phone, “Kim on hold for you. Can you take the call?”
Kim was one of Adam’s earlier clients. She was definitely a sensitive, a medium, if you like, but took a long time to come to terms with this fact. She hated being a medium and wanted medication or psychological strategies to remove her vivid and uncontrollable images that seem to engulf her at all the wrong times. It took many years for Kim to manage her mysterious and mystical experiences, and to this day, she continues to shy away from anything to do with the supernatural.
Kim had heard Adam on her radio while driving home from the shops. She had nearly driven off the road when she heard his voice. “Oh my God!” she said excitedly. “What’s going on with this psychic stuff?”
“Calm down, Kim. It’s okay,” Adam reassured. Kim was fearful Adam may implicate her somehow, as she was a deeply private person and still somewhat in denial regarding her own abilities. Kim believed that her psychic talents were the cause of her anxieties.
“The first thing I thought was ‘please don’t mention my name,’” she spoke quickly.
Adam interrupted her. “No names. Just trying to locate more enlightened people like you, Kim,” Adam said trying to reassure her again. He knew that she would not be interested, so he did not ask her if she wanted to be involved in his new group.
Kim was a very anxious and nervous person and always expected the worse to happen. She used to report horrible visions to Adam about dead people just standing there watching her; they were always associated with chaos, upheaval and mayhem. She also spoke about the faceless Big Four. She never went into much detail about this topic, refusing to elaborate further. These visions scared Kim immensely, as her images repeatedly showed her the catastrophic outcome of what is still to come.
Since seeing Adam for counselling, she has calmed down a great deal, as she gained valuable strategies to manage her anxiety, confused visions and scary prophesied events.
Kim is a practical, middle-aged divorced fifty-something and a very hush-hush lady. She had recently decided to focus on herself and on achieving inner happiness. She has adult children and both are getting on with their lives. Kim calls a spade a spade and believes she has her feet planted firmly on the ground. Her motto in life is: what goes around comes around.
She also believes that her images are private and for no one to meddle with. Kim always made sure that her visits with Adam were about everyday issues, and that she stayed clear away from the topic of her images or other paranormal phenomena. Kim was currently heading back to the Ashram. She was staying there and doing voluntary work in their kitchen.
Adam sat back in his chair contemplating Kim’s stance on all of this and wondered if she was right. Perhaps these things should be left alone. The sound of his phone buzzing shook him out of his reveries. It was Carol.
“Adam, are you free?” She asked. “You are not going to believe this!” Carol came quickly into his office with her notepad.
“Three calls have come in already since your radio debut.” She continued, walking closer to his desk and looking frazzled. “These two are cranks, I think. They sounded like students, and I could hear laughing in the background, but I took their details anyway.” She moved closer to Adam. “Both phone numbers are just ringing out. I tried it already. But this one, well, it sounds legitimate…” She paused and looked at Adam for a reaction, before taking in a deep breath, and exhaling quite loudly.
“Did you ring the number?” Adam asked, feeling semi excited at the news and also concerned about Carol’s behaviour.
“Yes, I did,” Carol said, handing Adam the phone messages.
“And what happened?”
“Well, he answered. It was that weird old guy from before. That Garrett guy. He actually has the audacity to ring back, but this time I made him leave his phone number!” Carol said, looking more relaxed now. “And do you know what he said?” She waited for Adam to respond, but Adam just observed her, expecting that she was going to finish her sentence anyway. And she did. “He said that he needs to talk to you urgently and that you need to call him back ASAP.” Carol now looked puzzled. “Do you think he may be crazy,” she said, before standing back, breathing calmly again, looking at Adam.
Carol sometimes got like this, getting herself all worked up, then pulling herself back together. Adam was used to her little outbursts and so was she with Adam. Carol remembered one day when she brought in white lilies for the office and Adam lost his composure, causing Carol to rush out the office with lilies in hand.
Adam decided to ring Mr Garrett then and there and once again, get to the bottom of his calls. The phone rang. Adam listened in anticipation as the ringing clicked off, and a familiar male’s voice answered.
“Hello, may I speak with Thomas Garrett, please,” Adam asked.
“Thomas speaking,” the voice responded softly.
“Hello Thomas, this is Adam Green returning your call. You called earlier in regards to wanting to talk to me urgently?”
“Oh yes,” his voice sparkled into action. “Yes, yes, but call me Tom. Thank you for returning my call.” Tom spoke in a friendly manner. “Look, Adam, is it perhaps possible for us to meet, perhaps this time over a coffee or something?” But before Adam could respond, Tom continued. “And I want to apologise for our last visit. I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot?” Adam heard him
