"I realize," I finally said. "Quinn will think were requesting something like a séance or spiritual encounter but if we don't humor Howie, he'll be devastated. He's fully committed to continuing this adventure."
"I know what you mean," Martha answered. "I phoned him after he was back in California. He's obsessed with this business."
We hashed out a possible way to move forward. Martha would talk to Quinn . . . to grease the skids . . . as she put it, and have him telephone me the following evening. Betsy would be home from her road trip and together we'd take on Quinn.
At the allotted hour, Betsy and I were finishing a bottle of wine when the phone rang. I answered as Betsy crossed her fingers.
"Remember in grade school when one of those bullies would put you in a half-nelson or whatever you call it, and twist your arm up your back?" I had to laugh at Quinn. "That's what you guys are doing to me. If I didn't have a pregnant wife practically begging me, I wouldn't even be making this phone call."
"I know how you feel. My arm's sore too."
"Are you buying into this nonsense?"
I tried to think of the best way to explain my feelings. "I look at it this way; something is going on in Howie's head."
"I'll tell you what's going on; he read about this place in a book, maybe a long time ago, and now he's dreaming about it."
"He swears he's never. . ."
"Look. The guy can hardly remember to blow his nose! He's got a blank slate for a life time of memory. Who knows what's going on in that head?"
"I don't disagree and God knows I have no more idea what's causing these vision but they're ruling his life right now."
"Do you think he's going back in the past?" Quinn asked bluntly.
"No. I honestly don't think that's possible but he is seeing something. Sure, I'm curious to find out what it is. It's too bad he's convinced it's your tests that cause the visions."
"They don't." The he equivocated. "I don't see how they could."
"Explain about your test. What exactly was happening? Remember, I'm a stupid pupil." Betsy left the room and I heard a click. "Betsy is on the extension line," I told him.
"So is Martha," he answered with a laugh. "Here goes. Our work concerns electrostatic forces; force fields that surround us everywhere. We're just beginning to understand their impact on nature and the universe. It's known for instance that bees, which have a positive electric charge, can sense the negative charge that certain flowers emit. This causes them to be drawn to those flowers in their search of pollen. We're infusing different charges on different forms of flora. Later, another group will test the results and record the reactions."