Free Life to Life: Ashton Ford, Psychic Detective by Don Pendleton Page A

forces, however, and I am aware that events in
this world are sometimes no more than a shadow play of events in
another."
    "Oh exactly, exactly."
    "I won't guarantee you that I will remain
sympathetic to Annie's problems once I understand them. But I do
want to understand them. And I will want lo help if I feel the
cause is right."
    "It is, believe me."
    "On the other hand," I warned him, "if it
turns the other way, it's possible that I would want to help the
other side."
    Janulski laughed prettily. "Believe me," he
said, "you wouldn't like it over there."
    We decided to move to
Annie's office to continue the discussion. He offered refreshments
as we passed through the reception area. I wanted coffee; he opted
for tea and passed the request along to one of the
women.
    As we entered Annie's
sanctum, Janulski lightly touched my shoulder and told me, "I have
a delightful surprise for you."
    I really did not want to know but I asked
anyway, "What is that?"
    He sat down behind the desk, put his hands
together, and told me, "We are really not supposed to divulge
information of this nature but it is just too perfect, so I've
received special permission to tell you about it."
    I took a chair at the opposite side of the
desk and said, "Okay."
    "Well, this is going to thrill you. One of
my guides was your father in a previous life."
    I did not feel especially
thrilled. A bit creepy, maybe, but...I had no memory whatever of
any father at any time. I said drily to Janulski, "Well, then, you
must introduce us."
    His eyes were twinkling as he replied, "I
just might be able to do that."
    Well, hell, that more or less set the tone
for what was to follow. I give that to you, below, exactly as it
developed.
    You tell me what it was all about.
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Eleven: From the Mouths of
Angels
     
     
    "If you are not a boy and not a girl, then
what are you?"
    "There, you see? You are right at the crux.
There has never been any really original thought about this. In
this world there are precisely two sexes and we all must fit into
one or the other. May I tell you a secret? There are many more
worlds than this one, and there are more sexes than two."
    "Maybe so, but we all now have to deal with
this world. So don't you have to declare yourself as one or the
other, male or female?"
    "Declaring doesn't make it
so and certainly doesn't make it easier for those of us who are
neither. All that does is satisfy a classification system designed
for animals. Good heavens! Can't these twentieth-century minds
understand that the human race has left the animal kingdom
behind?"
    "Not entirely behind. That body of yours,
pal, which you say is neither boy nor girl, was created by an
animalistic act that produces nothing but boys and girls."
    "Oh, well, if you're
talking about bodies...! Bodies...! good lord!... that's like
saying there's nothing but fucking and sucking and no such thing as
making love! I can fuck or suck anybody—understand? Anybody, boy or
girl makes no difference, if you just want fucked or sucked. But if
you want love from me, pure romantic love, then you have to be one
of my own kind. You could fuck a cow, Mr. Ford. But could you fall
in love with one?"
    "Not sure I could fuck one, Bruce. But I
guess I see what you mean. You couldn't fall in love with me?"
    "Sony, no, I could not.
Oh, I can love you. I do love you. But not...no, sorry."
    "Don't feel bad. Just wanted to be sure I'm
getting you. You are saying, like, you could not fall in love with
Annie or—"
    "Good heavens no!"
    "—or with anyone else who is not one of
these uh, this third sex or whatever—"
    "Third sex, no, that's not accurate. It's
like ummm, there's an island where people from all over the world
vacation. They all seem very much alike but ummm, people from
Europe are attracted to others from Europe, those from Asia go with
Asians, and those from Africa go for Africans."
    "Yes?"
    "Well, ummm, I'm from Africa and I am nearly
crazy looking for other