Lost in Lima⁷

I was told by a disciple that there is a particular street in Lima that sells lots of musical instruments. So Agraha, Savyasachi and I went looking for it. When we came to a one-way street, Agraha and I got out of the car, and I told Savyasachi to drive around and meet us from the other direction.

After walking a few blocks, Agraha asked someone in Spanish if there were some music stores on that side of the block. The person said it was on the other side of the block and in the other direction — on Emancipation Street.

I decided to walk three or four blocks in that direction while Agraha continued looking in the original direction. After six or eight blocks my legs were hurting, so I turned around and started coming back.

After going several blocks, something within me instigated me to look across the street at a pastry shop, even though I had no inclination to eat. As soon as I looked, I saw Emancipation Street. It was only half a block away from where I had started 15 or 20 minutes before!

But there were no instrument stores there. I wanted to go back to the hotel, but no taxi would stop for me. Finally, when one did stop and ask me where I wanted to go, I didn’t know the name of our hotel. I said, “Miramar,” but the driver said there was no such hotel. I told him I would give him directions, but he didn’t trust me. So he wouldn’t take me.

Suddenly I saw Agraha and Savyasachi, so I was saved.

When you are lost, each minute is torture. How many taxis passed by without stopping! And when one did stop, I couldn’t tell the driver the destination.