Tsegi Ruins

By James E. Aarons DVM

Katie Reynolds is a modern Navajo Indian. They call themselves the Diné. Early in her life Katie was bitten with the bug, the bug to help animals. Hard work and intelligence paid off, she became a veterinarian, a first in her Navajo nation, and fell in love with Rory in veterinary school.
The two lovers managed to overcome turbulent issues during school, but the relationship begins to crack from their cultural and physical distances. They come together for a time in California, where Rory is building a practice. Although he hasn’t intended on going into small animal practice, he arranges to open a clinic so both he and Katie would have enough work to make a living, build a home.
Katie continues to feel the tug of advanced learning, still hoping to strengthen her people in the land where evilness rampant on the res ran her off. These spirits want something from Katie, yet she’s unsure what it is. They don’t want to kill her otherwise she’d be toast by now. The answer becomes clearer following an all night peyote tipi rite.
That’s when she runs into Tal and Pelipe, her Ute friends from a neighboring reservation.
During a tour of Hearst Castle Katie is overcome by malevolent spirits when a 3,000 year-old statue jumps off the shelf, causing her to collapse, and lose time. She recovers in a hospital but cannot recollect events of the entire day.
Worries about marrying Rory emerge from this, as she wonders if the spirits are warning her. The indecision is compounded when she and Tal go on a road trip to San Francisco, then Davis, where Katie’s post-graduate schooling is starting her on a new quest to understand the ravages of disease and evil in humans and animals.
Rory realizes the tug on Katie might pull her from him, and he ups the ante by hoping to marry his sweetheart before she returns to school.

• Language: English
• Publisher: James E. Aarons DVM
• Release date: Aug 18, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370338825

James E. Aarons DVM

Dr. Jim Aarons has a unique view of the world, having spent a lifetime doctoring animals. Since graduating from the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine in 1982, he has been responsible for the physical and mental soundness of a variety of critters and their human friends.With his unique writing style, Dr. Jim artfully mixes the softness of romance against the harsh canvas of science and history. He shares his experiences from years of working in zoos and ostrich hatcheries, horse stud farms, cattle round-ups, cow dairies, and companion animal medicine cases. He has created the Katie Reynolds Series, which is the saga of a young veterinarian and her attempts to find a real reason for us to be here.

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Tsegi Ruins

A Katie Reynolds Adventure

James E. Aarons DVM

Published by James E. Aarons DVM at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Creating a story that has many facts is easy. Making those facts less than mind numbing to others is more difficult. Mary, my dear, dear wife, has the unique capability to bridge this gap with her extraordinary editing abilities.

Thank you.

Books by James Aarons

Fear of Failure

Transient Ischemia

Katie Reynolds Adventures

K’aalógii, My Butterfly Boy

Yéiitsoh Omen

Tsegi Ruins

Inconvenient Goddess

Cocaine Eggs

Of Gods and Mortals

Death From Down Under

Queen of the Orontes

Goddess of Death

The Ivory Kingdom

Fear of Failure

Cover photo and design by Laura Shinn

To my wife, Mary

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Midnight Dystocia

Chapter 2: Todích'íí'nii Water Witching

Chapter 3: Car Thief

Chapter 4: René and Pelipa

Chapter 5: The Men at the Fence

Chapter 6: Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs

Chapter 7: Pizza Party

Chapter 8: Peyote Sing

Chapter 9: Stairway to Heaven

Chapter 10: Hearst Castle

Chapter 11: Lempa Statue

Chapter 12: Caesarian Section

Chapter 13: Road Trip with Tal

Chapter 14: Observation Platform

Chapter 15: Eagle Prey

Chapter 16: Dreaming

Chapter 17: Chloe and Delilah

Chapter 18: Byron and Muki

Chapter 19: Pig Hunt

Chapter 20: Colusa Crazy Crawdad Days

Chapter 21: Eagle Strike

Chapter 22: Thunder Only Happens When It’s Raining

Chapter 23: Chicken Plucker

Chapter 24: Paula’s Advice

Chapter 25: The Man in the Boat

Chapter 26: Delta King

About the Author

The Katie Reynolds Series

Chapter 1: Midnight Dystocia

Rory woke from a deep sleep and fumbled for the clanging telephone in the darkness.

Dr. Evans.

Hi Dr. Evans. This is Chantelle; I live down your way. I have an emergency.

What time is it?

It’s 1:30 Dr. Evans. I’m sorry to call but Dr. Ekstein turned me down. In fact he was quite rude. My goat has been trying to deliver a baby for a long time and I can’t get anyone to come out.

How long has she been in labor?

Since 5:30 this evening.

Well load in her a truck and bring her here. Do you know where the ranch is, where I live?

Oh yes, we’re three doors down, across the way.

I’ll turn the lights on.

What is it? Katie rolled over sleepily to face him.

A goat thing.

Do you need help? Please say no.

He smiled. There’s only room for one hand in a goat’s vagina. Go back to sleep, honey. He threw off the covers and pulled clothes on. He went to the kitchen and poured a glass of sweet tea. Chantelle told him it was a pygmy goat, but he hoped not. It would be almost impossible for him to work his large hand inside a tiny goat. Then, he would have to set up a C-section, a thing he hated to do on goats. Hopefully, he would be able to feel around for a baby and pull it out. Then he could go back to bed. Chantelle made the call easier to anticipate because she was bringing the patient to him. At least he was on familiar ground, giving himself the option of doing a cleaner surgery here than at her place.

He turned the outside lights on and waited in the moonlight. It was a peaceful, late spring evening, a week after Mother’s Day. The moon was almost full, the spring had been a wet one, and Katie was settled in with him. He was content

Encouraged by the brilliant moonlight frogs along the pond chirruped their nightly chorus. Moon shadows fell on the ground beneath the arching oak trees surrounding his home casting black shadows against the silvery sheen. The breeze was gentle and he could feel the promise of a hot day tomorrow as it whispered around him. Birthing season was in full swing, a busy time for the young veterinarian.

He smiled, remembering Katie’s birds. She discovered three different birds raising families around their place. A previous resident made two wooden nesting boxes and hung them in a protected place on either side of the front door. This year the spot on the right occupied by a diligent pair of Rock Wrens. She showed him another nest housing a pair of Black Phoebes. They built it above the light fixture in the woodshed. And every morning a handsome American Robin couple, they probably occupied a nest nearby, hunted for bugs and worms on the side lawn. Because the winter was mild many hummingbirds decided to spend the whole year with Katie and her nectar jars. He wasn’t sure if her supplemental feeding was helpful or harmful to the birds, but there were always several hummers hovering and fighting over the two hummingbird feeders hung under the wisteria covered porch beams at their side door.

He walked towards the barn when he saw headlights turn off the road into his drive, turning the inside clinic lights on just as the truck pulled in front of his small treatment room. Walking back outside, he recognized Rob Merrick's truck, with American flags painted on both sides. Rob was a familiar person among the sparse neighborhood holdings. He was really lucky to have a tucked away, mortgage-free place between his neighbor's million dollar estates. His family bought their forty-acre place years ago, before land prices here went so crazy. Rob lived in a trailer on the property, marrying and moving his high school sweetheart Robbie in before he left for the Navy. That was ten years ago. Rory first met him when he drove up the driveway on an ATV. Rob introduced his twelve-year old daughter Danielle to Rory, hoping she could be shown what vet medicine was all about, but Rory disappointed him when he said this was just a halfway clinic he used for minor procedures. Rob was there tonight to help his neighbor handle her goat problem.

Hi Doc, Rob said.

Hi Rob. Did you come to help?

Yeah. Where do you want to work on it, Doc?

Just leave her in the truck. Hopefully I can find a way to do this without surgery, otherwise we’re going to have to regroup and get help.

This is Chantelle, and her husband Bryan.

Hello, Rory nodded his head in acknowledgment as he focused on the goat. He was hoping he wouldn’t have to do a C-section, which would add another hour onto the treatment period at the very least, make recovery longer, and he would have to wake Katie for help.

The doe was sitting on a heavy blanket and leaning her body to the right. Rory grabbed the tail and she jumped up, bleating in protest.

How should I hold her, Dr. Evans? Chantelle asked.

Just steady her so I can see what’s going on. It looks like you’ve cleaned her up already.

Yes sir, I did, and I put my fingers in there, but couldn’t figure anything out.

No worries, he said as he pushed his right hand inside the vagina. The vagina was empty, so he pushed forward; feeling for the cervix, knowing it should to be dilated by now. The goat started to bleat in earnest; the stretching was so very uncomfortable. Every time the doe bleated the owner verbally calmed her, saying things like Shh… it’s ok baby, and Things will be fine, stuff like that. Although he realized she was doing it out of nervousness, she was bugging him with her constant chatter.

I need you to be quiet so I can focus, he finally told her. She was instantly quiet and Rory took over, giving them a step-by-step description of his exploration. The cervix is only dilated two, maybe three centimeters. I need to widen it enough to get my entire hand through, about ten centimeters, so I can feel what’s in the uterus, so this is going to hurt her, he warned, as he pushed his hand further into the goat’s muscular cervix, effacing and dilating the barrier protecting the baby from the cruel outside world. The baby goat wanted out, but something was stopping its progress.

The cervix needed to be widened; otherwise the baby wouldn’t come out. Mama’s body was relaxing the cervix as normal, but the baby behind it wasn’t pushing it open. Usually the head goes first, beginning an hours-long epic beginning with a slow, even cervical dilation, resulting in expulsion of the fetus when the cervix was opened adequately. A healthy baby speeds this process along by actively wiggling with the uterine contractions to make a way for itself. Tonight Rory was the one to dilate the poor mama’s cervix, and he was determined to do it in five or ten minutes, not in a couple of hours.

The baby hadn’t accomplished didley squat, Rory pushed his hand ahead, with all the fingers tucked forward into a cone shape. As soon as he pushed as far forward as possible, he expanded his fingers. Each time the cervix gave a bit he re-coned his fingers and pushed forward further. It was a tedious process and quite uncomfortable for the goat. I was also somewhat hard on Rory’s hand, but he needed to exert steady outward pressure on the cervix so a tunnel into the uterus could be opened. Rory realized he was thirsty. With his fingers doing the walking he looked about for his tea drink, spied it in the corner of the pickup bed. Grabbing it with his free hand he took a big, big gulp and set it back in the corner. Still working his right hand patiently, he laid his head on his left arm looking up at the full moon shining spottily through the trees.

Boy I had no idea this was the vagina my hands would find this evening, he offered playfully.

And you didn’t even have to buy her dinner, Doc, Rob replied.

Who knows what dilate is? Rory asked.

To make wider. Rob answered.

Rory shook his head, trying to act all serious, No, Rob, to dilate is to live long.

Soon the cervix opened wide enough to allow Rory’s entire hand to get through the cervical tunnel into the more open uterus where he could open his hands and use his fingers to probe here and there. Hopefully, his fingers would tell him how this baby was mal-positioned. He needed to figure out why the baby hadn’t been helping, hoping to feel for the roundness of a head, for the bluntness of the nose. It would be easiest, to pull the baby out in a normal headfirst position. He felt a bump… seemed to be somewhere along the baby’s back. He was either at the butt or the head, but couldn’t feel the head, so he walked his fingers back towards himself, following the dropping contour of the baby’s back. Oh I found the problem, the head is dropped down between the front legs. I’m going to have to pull the head upward and get it between the front legs before the package can be delivered.

He worked his fingers under the jawbone, teasing the head upward after turning his hand so his palm faced up. Now he could bring the head up. But the uterus was a crowded place so he pushed the fetus away from him giving him more front room to work. Then he pulled the front legs up and extended them forward. Now, with the head tucked neatly between two front legs pointed straight out, he could pull the fetus through the birth canal. With everything in place he tugged the baby towards him and got the head through the cervix. His hand was really tired and needed a break, so he placed his left hand under the baby’s chin and finally pulled the baby out using both hands.

With a final pull from Rory the baby plopped onto the tailgate. Tearing the membranes from the face, he was happy to see a fresh pink color to the gums. Chantelle began to clean it up with a jacket as soon as he handed it to her.

Wait Chantelle, I’ve got towels in the vet room, he said. Here, follow me, Rob Rory held his bloody hand up and walked into the barn. Rob come and open the door to the vet room. My hands are too slippery and bloody.

Rory went directly to the sink to wash his hands and arms. The towels are in one of the drawers here on my right, Rob. Grab some big ones and bring them out there. Rory dried his hands and followed Rob back to the truck.

Can you stand the doe up, please? I've got to recheck her. Oh, here’s the problem, Rory said pulling another fetus from her. This one was noticeably different. The front portion of the chest was discolored. Obviously the baby was dead, it lay still and lifeless on the tailgate. That one stopped the progress, Rory officially declared the dystocia to be due to death of the baby during the final few weeks of gestation. He went in again, easily working his hand into the uterus. And then we have a third baby, he announced, pulling a squirming vigorous baby from the womb."

Chantelle was ecstatic. You’re a life saver, Doctor Evans, thank you so much.

Thanks, but I’m not done yet. He went back to the sink to clean up again, and came out holding two syringes in his hand. This shot is an antibiotic, and this one is oxytocin. It will increase her uterine contractions. Have you given her a tetanus shot? Goats are very susceptible to tetanus, and earlier vaccination stops it.

Yes, I gave her shots in the fall.

Ok. I want to stop by in a day or two to see how everything is going.

Sure thing, Chantelle said. How much do I owe you, Doctor?

Two hundred dollars should do it.

Ok, I’ll bring it tomorrow.

Good enough. Well call me if there is anything else, ok?

Thanks so much, you’ve made all the difference, Chantelle said to her new hero. Rory returned to the barn to clean up and turn lights off.

How did it go? Katie asked sleepily when Rory slid in next to her.

Pretty smooth. I pulled triplets and only one was dead.

Did you wear gloves?

Well no, the owner was already into the area, and my hands were clean.

For your protection, Rory. Remember we’re tracking down a possible brucellosis problem.

But that’s with pigs and pig hunting dogs. This was a goat.

Unwilling to argue her point at two thirty in the morning she gave him a kiss. Good night baby. See you in a few hours, she rolled over onto her right side, moving closer to him until their backs were touching.

Are you still going with me to watch the water witching, Katie?

Sure. I thought you wouldn’t want to go because you’re sleep has been interrupted.

These are new clients and want to meet them. I guess they’re flying in from Texas. I’m skeptical about the water witching thing, although I’m interested in seeing what kind of animals we may have to work on.

Are they exotics?

I think some are, but I'm not sure.

Well, this should be really fun, now I'm excited!

Chapter 2: Todích'íí'nii Water Witching

Rory and Katie were following Bryson-Hesperia Road further and further away from main ways, the hills and oaks becoming progressively larger and denser. Rory was driving them to visit a new client and witness a water witch.

Did you take a shower this morning Rory?

No, I overslept, you know that.

Well did you know you still have blood on your face, from last night?

Where?

There's some here, in front of your right ear.

Can you wipe it off?

No, I might get brucellosis.

How? That’s impossible, like getting pregnant from sitting on a toilet seat.

I’m trying to prove a point here.

Well why don’t I stop so we can sterilize me? He was becoming edgy, she knew, because his sarcastic person was coming out.

Ok, here, Mr. Fussy. Let Mama take care of you so you don’t go into a real scary pout.

Why do you do that? He complained in a loud voice.

Because I worry about weird infections. Things that kill people get my attention. What’s your excuse for not worrying? It must be obtuseness because you are one of the smartest men I know.

You do that on purpose?

‘What?"

First, you fire me up, then you know how to say the right thing to calm me down. I’m sorry.

Me too, apology accepted, but I’m still not going to kiss you until you’ve showered.

What were Moose’s final brucellosis results, Katie? Do you think there really is a new epidemic starting?

We still can’t tell. The blood culture plate grew only actinomyces, overwhelming the plate, making it impossible to see if there ever was brucellosis in Moose’s bloodstream.

I don’t understand.

Brucellosis is a fastidious bacteria and it takes a long time to grow. We're beginning to think it was an abnormal actinomyces infection, really.

Is the investigation closed then? What has Dr. Prasad decided?

He cannot allocate funds this way for more diagnostics unless we see another case.

So he’s not convinced there really is a brucellosis problem?

Well not here, in Paso Robles. But three other pig farms in the San Joaquin valley have come up positive. He’s looking for a natural reservoir.

He doesn’t think it’s being brought in from somewhere else, on replacement pigs, maybe?

No, he’s looking at the wild pig population for the ultimate source.

So… you’re not going to do the MPVM program, then? he asked hopefully.

I’m still expected up in Davis in September, Rory.

Very well, he said grumpily, wisely staying away from the argument. Tell me about this water witching ability your uncle has.

I think water witching is real, Rory. I’ve seen it work. My Uncle Gus taught me how to do it. Everyone in his clan is born with an ability to find water. Todích'íí'nii, the Bitter Water clan was one of the original Navajo tribes. One of these men, searching for water, dug in the ground and found a water source but it was bitter and undrinkable. But, over time he refined his skill and found not only fresh water, but also other objects deep within the ground. Uncle Gus showed me the secrets, and now I can feel where water is, deep within the earth.

I think this is bullshit, Katie.

You automatically think any myth or old tale is false. You feel anything not scientifically provable is bullshit, Rory. But you’re missing important things in life because you cannot allow yourself to believe in the things you can't explain.

How else can we go forward with science, Katie? You’ve been to college for eight years, you know better. We can’t just say ‘okay’ to anything anytime anyone has an idea. Not all ideas are good ones, nor are they grounded in reality.

This stuff is real. Horses know how to dig into a dry stream bed to find water.

How, can they just sense the water? They probably can feel the moistness of the sand underneath their feet when they paw the ground, or smell the water molecules in the air.

No, it’s more complex, Rory. For us this holds true for water, which hasn’t seeped to the surface as well. During our evolution we developed a sixth sense about locating water. The ability is in all land mammals. Although they left the water when they were evolving, they were still innately tied to it. And they never lost the ability to find it again. This idea is old and deep seated within us. It is deeper, very complex, and involves one’s subconscious talking to the earth itself.

Okay, tell me how this works, in your culture.

Uncle Gus is a witch, a water witch actually. He was never given the title because everyone in his clan is born with water-finding ability. And I have enough relation to him where I feel it too. But it took training for me to learn to make it work.

What do you mean?

A few years ago my Bidzil, you remember…. My cousin? Well he and I decided to see what this water-witching stuff was all about. We started with a willow stick, although other wood works as well so long as the branch is green and bendable. But it didn’t work in my hands. Then, Bidzil wrapped his arms around my waist and we both walked forward. I held the ends of the Y in my hand. What a funny feeling when the stick starts to turn!

What do you mean, you held the Y in your hand?

To divine a water source you select a tree branch with a long, straight portion with a Y on the end. The wood must be bendable; it must be green, and only ½ inch to ¾ of an inch thick. As long as it is thin and wet enough to bend, it can be used.

Ok, how does this work? You hold two Y ends of a green branch and just wander about, thinking about water?

Yes, and when the branch crosses the water source the long end of the Y dips right down.

Are you sure? How far does it dip? Probably only a little, really. It's a result of your subconscious desires, like playing with a Ouija board He was still fighting the entire concept as too un-provable, too unscientific.

Stop it, Rory. I don’t think anyone truly believes this stuff until they see it in front of them, you need to stop bitching and complaining until you see how Edward does it.

So water witching isn’t relegated to special people?

No, I was able to learn it. Edward is from Australia, or England, and he learned it too, from what I have been told.

What is he supposed to show us today, now?

Everything I told you, Rory. I want to see if the bilagáana, you white folks do it the same way as we do it.

Wait, you’re not being racist now, Katie, are you?

What in the hell are you talking about, Rory?

The fact Navajo are more spiritual than others, that’s racist.

You’re an idiot. Anyone can be spiritual. You just need to decide to go there. Maybe I should call you racist because you don’t want to date bilagáana girls. You just screw them, no need to date them. That’s racist.

This has nothing to do with what we’re talking about.

Fine, she said, shutting down. Right then he knew it was time to think on his own because she was going other places.

He was quiet and focused on the drive up to the place.

Then she gave him an opportunity.

Have you been here before, Rory?

A few months ago, but it didn’t go well. He was grateful to her for starting a new dialogue. He hated it when she gave him the stony silence treatment. Jo is the woman who called me out to treat a lameness on her pig. I found the problem was an abscess in the foot, so I sedated the sow, and dug out the abscess. I gave an antibiotic injection, and left. Later she called me and said the sow never woke up, it died from the drugs.

Well why is she calling you back?

The property she lives on was just purchased by a billionaire from Texas, who needs a vet who can dart ungulates."

Ungulates, really?

Yeah. Alan, the zoo director gave her my number. She couldn’t find a vet to work on hoofed exotics.

Where are these exotic ungulates from?

Texas.

Texas isn’t exotic. I bet she’s bringing Texas Longhorns over.

No, these are oryx and eland, Katie. You remember? They're a large aggressive antelope species, imported from Africa.

Why is she doing that?

I don’t know. Why do people have tropical fish?

What does that have to do with this?

It has everything to do with this. Why do people decide they need to bring another animal near enough to them so they can nurture it? Does feeding a thing create a satisfying bond? Evidently so, but when does it stop? With pit-bulls, alligators, pythons, boa constrictors?

What happened to your attitude, baby? This isn’t like you, to complain so hard about your work.

You and me, Katie. I’m sorry, but I’m really bothered when I know you’re going off again, learning shit. And I’m sitting here, waiting for you to come home to start a family.

Calm down sweetie. It amazes me how you can be so up and down. One day you’ve got us on top of the world, the next day I’m dog shit.

It's immaturity and frustration, I guess. I’m sorry, Katie, but sometimes I just get panicked inside and wonder what I am really doing. I’m really scared about running the new practice, and constantly worried I’ve made the wrong choice, that others mock me.

You have to forget about what others think of you. Just have faith in yourself. You're becoming a great vet, and people like and trust you. Let Jen and Honey help with the burden. Their excitement and energy will carry you, you'll see. You’ve got a great start, with or without me. Stop doubting yourself. There’s too much to look forward to. Our family time will come. Now is the time to build your practice and I’ll be here with you in a year. Is that her? Katie pointed to an attractive thirty something woman with dishwater blonde hair. She held a tow-headed toddler in her arms and she waved them her way.

Yeah it is. Smiling, he waved back.

What’s the baby’s name?

She calls him by a nickname, a weird one, Superman I think.

Rory drove up to the woman and rolled the window down. Hi Jo. How’s Superman today?

I’m Batman, not Superman. The youngster was insulted.

Rory turned to whisper in Katie's ear. I was it wrong, he’s Batman,

I gathered. She smiled and squeezed Rory’s hand.

Hey Batman, what’s going on today? I hear there’s a lot happening!

Grampa is here from Australia to show us Americans how to do stuff the right way.

I see. Hang on a minute here, Batman. I have to park, and then we can see what stuff Americans don’t know how to do the right way.

Katie and Rory walked to Jo standing with an older gentleman, dressed in fatigues with an Aussie hat on his head. Hi, Jo. Rory said and then gestured to Katie. This is my associate, Dr. Reynolds.

Good to meet ya mates, I’m Edwin, Jo’s father, and this is Batman, my grandson.

It's nice to meet you, we’ve already met Batman.

Jo tells me you would like to watch my witching methods.

Yeah, I guess I’m a bit skeptical here. But Katie, Dr. Reynolds, tells me this is a real thing.

Indeed it is, Dr. Evans, and I’m not surprised you are a skeptic, which shows you have a healthy attitude. However, this is a very real phenomenon. People, even companies call me to divine lines and other things under the ground. Divining, others call it dowsing, has been used for centuries, mostly as a means of finding underground water supplies. I can help a farmer find the best place to put a well. I can also find leaking water pipes, and I can find the route of the pipe as well.

Katie says one divines using a forked branch having a long tail on it.

Yes, that certainly works, but it gives us only a partial answer. A more complete answer comes when copper ‘L’ rods are used. Edwin showed Rory his magical ’L’ wands. They are 30 inch lengths of 12 gauge copper with four inches of it bent into a handhold. I get copper wire from a hardware store and strip the plastic insulation off the wire. A coat hanger works just as well for others. All I need is a connection to the earth, and I can get it with wet tree branches or bent copper wire. This isn’t rocket science, Dr. Evans.

No it’s not science at all, it’s hocus pocus.

I understand your point of view. You aren't the only one who feels this way. Edwin looked at Katie. Hopefully another in the group believed in him.

I told him this works. He’s a skeptic and he's that way about everything he can't explain scientifically. But I'm excited. Can you show me how you do it?

Certainly, give me a minute to collect my materials.

He walked into the old barn currently being remodeled, and came out holding a plastic water bottle and a copper pipe. He gathered everyone around him before beginning his presentation. I have in my hands a copper pipe, one inch in diameter, and a plastic bottle filled with water.

Edwin set the water bottle down on the brick sidewalk, took a couple steps backward, and carefully placed the eighteen-inch long pipe across the walkway as well. Now the pipe was separated from the water bottle by three feet. He took four steps backward and hoisted the ‘L’ rods, one in each hand, pointing them straight ahead. "The idea is to focus intensely on an item to elicit