Enlightenment online

‘There’s something different about you Frank, did you get a haircut or something?’ I asked my long-time colleague and friend. ‘No mate.’ was his reply in typical English accent. ‘You are right though. Something about me has changed. Looks like you’re quite aware of your surroundings Rick.’ I adjusted my chair and had a good long look at my old buddy’s face. There definitely was something going on here. You could see that his eyes had a sparkle that I’d never seen previously, and I almost swear I could see I kind of pink aura glowing around his whole head, his whole body come to think of it. ‘Are you on drugs man? Are you taking some of those crazy ancient Asian herbs they’ve been advertising in the newspaper?’ Frank’s smile was riper than a mango in the dry season. I don’t think I’d ever seen the old man look so damn happy. ‘I got a secret Rick.’ he whispered, doing one of his patented Old West cowboy winks.

I knew better than to interrogate old Frank on the spot. He was known to have a short temper, and I didn’t want to rub him the wrong way. Still, I wanted to get some idea about what was going on. ‘Don’t tell me your secret now Frank, but can you give me a general idea about what’s happening?’ I inquired patiently. ‘It’s about a website, son.’ His look was so powerful I actually felt as though I was being pinned to the spot. ‘Can you tell me about it after work at the local diner?’ The words came out in a staccato rhythm as my mouth worked hard to spit out the stuttered question. ‘No worries mate.’ he replied, the look of mirth seeming to emanate out of his eyes, spreading red across his cheeks, then travelling over to my personal space. It was a welcome invasion.

‘So what’s a website got to do with that smile planted on your face man?’ I asked as we dug into a couple of burgers at the Mom and Pop diner down on the corner. ‘You search the Internet don’t you Ricky?’ he asked softly. ‘Yeah, sure.’ I replied, ‘I mean who doesn’t these days.’

‘You’ve seen some pretty cool websites right?’ I nodded in affirmation. ‘Well, I came across a website which changed my life forever. People these days, they sure are creative aren’t they?’ he asked rhetorically. ‘What was so cool about the site?’ I inquired. I mean, I’ve seen Ebay, Amazon, and lots of other sites, but I can’t recall any of them having such a lasting positive effect on me. Well, then again I did meet Linda my girlfriend on an online dating site, and that’s brought more happiness into my life than I ever could have hoped for. ‘Tell me about this site.’ I said in a conspiratorial tone that seemed to fit the old guy’s present weird behaviour. ‘I got lucky finding it mate.’ He replied, the smile not wavering even for an instant. ‘It’s a website made so that people can reach a higher awareness of life, you know, find enlightenment.’ I must have looked just a little bit dumbfounded at this remark. It caught me off guard like a bird suddenly dropping a sky-born crap on your shoulder. ‘Uh, so it’s a bunch of literature about finding inner-peace is it? That’s not so unusual. I’ve visited spiritual and religious sites from belief systems all over the world.’ I answered, showing obvious disappointment in that old Frank was probably just another person who believed they’d found peace through doctrine. ‘No, this is different.’ He said laughing loudly. ‘I’ve got no idea who set up this site, and to tell you the truth I don’t really care. All I do is sit in front of my computer monitor and watch these incredible colour pictures constantly change and evolve, all while the most strange and distinct sound comes out of the speakers.’ I was taken aback. Weird sounds and colours that caused one to be happy? It sounded too good to be true, as well as just a little bit cuckoo. ‘So, what does the music sound like?’ I asked. ‘It’s not music mate, not even close…’‘So, what does it sound like Frank? Is it monks throat-singing, electronic synthesised sounds, noises from nature?’ I was starting to get a bit agitato myself. ‘To tell you the truth Rickster,’ he remarked with a slight smirk reminiscent of a cat that has just finished a plate of restaurant-quality Japanese sashimi-cut Tuna. ‘It sounds like the sound the Sun would make.’

I thought the old guy was mad as a white rabbit in Wonderland, but he just looked so damn peaceful and happy…and he never had before. ‘So, what’s the URL web address for this enlightenment site man. All people are due just a little bit of elevation in their worldly existence, you know what I mean? I asked cheerfully. The answer wasn’t the one I was looking for. ‘ The site stipulates when you begin the program that you are not to tell or show anyone how to get to it. It states, ‘Enlightenment is to be obtained by the individual. Any outside assistance will knock a person off the path. If a person is destined to find this site, they will all on there own.

‘But you’ve broken the rules man! You told me that the site exists!’ I yelled out suddenly, causing faces all around us to momentarily turn and face our general direction. Frank looked at me matter-of-factly. ‘People have always known that a higher consciousness exists. They have always searched for it, and some have even found it. What I have told you has been known since the birth of thought. You know no more now than you did yesterday. If you want to find the site, find enlightenment, find peace of mind…the effort is up to you and only you.’ He chuckled softly and patted me paternally on the shoulder. ‘I’d have you know that I was so inspired by that website that I decided to make a website of my own.’ he said smiling widely. ‘What’s your website got on it old man, the secret of life everlasting? I asked sarcastically. ‘Nah mate, I figured you can make a website about anything you can imagine…so I made one based on cloud animals.’ Again his smile was spread out like spilt sugar on a counter top. ‘Cloud animals, what the heck are cloud animals?’ I yelped out incredulously. ‘Haven’t you ever looked up and seen animal shapes in the clouds mate? Google it Rick, everyone’s got a hobby. I think my site is one of the better ones on the subject. It’s got real photographs!’I looked out into space pondering several ideas, some of which concerned my dubious opinions about old Frank, but one of which just happened to be in the idea area of, ‘Maybe it’s about time I made that site about my recipe for the Perfect Green Tea Soy Milkshake. There couldn’t be others already out there with similar recipes, could there?’