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Back Life Events Save as PDF
Chapters (49)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. 1.
  6. 2.
  7. 3.
  8. 4.
  9. 5.
  10. 6.
  11. 7.
  12. 8.
  13. 9.
  14. 10.
  15. 11.
  16. 12.
  17. 13.
  18. 14.
  19. 15.
  20. 16.
  21. 17.
  22. 18.
  23. 19.
  24. 20.
  25. 21.
  26. 22.
  27. 23.
  28. 24.
  29. 25.
  30. 26.
  31. 27.
  32. 28.
  33. 29.
  34. 30.
  35. 31.
  36. 32.
  37. 33.
  38. 34.
  39. 35.
  40. 36.
  41. 37.
  42. 38.
  43. 39.
  44. 40.
  45. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  46. Also by Karolina Waclawiak
  47. Praise for Life Events
  48. A NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  49. Newsletter Sign-up

He paused for effect.

“He saw it. He saw what I’m explaining to you. It’s like the movie Avatar. It’s like here, but better.”

He walked slowly, talked deep into his microphone: “Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow. How about that?”

A hand shot up.

“I’ve written books about all of this. Best-sellers! They’re all outside, on the table, for sale. Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow. How about that? Don’t you want to know what that’s like?”

“Yes!” people around me screamed.

“I’m ready for questions. Who has a question? You.”

He pointed to the woman with the raised hand and smiled at her. She was wearing red glasses to match her red Keds; lines creased her face.

“I’m glad you brought up Steve Jobs. He visits me often, actually. He’s on a panel with my husband, my deceased husband, and Nikola Tesla. They are doing very important work.”

Though I was close to the front, I got up to go to the bathroom, hunching down so Guy didn’t see me leave. He seemed like the type of guy who would take notice of such things. I was getting a headache and did not want to hear the testimonials of the other people with near-death experiences. It felt like I couldn’t get enough air.

In the bathroom, a middle-aged woman was fixing her hair—frosted and short, well maintained. She seemed flustered.

“You left, too?” she asked.

“I had to go to the bathroom,” I said. “But I felt bad doing it.”

“I couldn’t listen to that again. He gave the same talk in Denver last month.”

“You follow him?” I asked.

“He’s very inspirational. I just wish he’d change it up. Give us our money’s worth. Say something new.” She looked at me and smiled. “It’s your first time, isn’t it?”

I nodded and smiled. She clutched a notebook to her chest.

“Take notes,” she said. “Everything is important.”

29.

Bethanny was no match for these dog and pony shows, and she was cast aside in a lightly attended smaller ballroom. It felt strange to see her in a subprime location, vying for our attention, whereas she had commanded it so easily in Los Angeles. I was so embarrassed for her that I did not even try to come up to say hello. I hadn’t seen anyone else from our training sessions, either.

I stared at the ceiling of the conference room and noticed water stains lining the ceiling tiles. The banquet chairs were zip-tied together into rows, and the air conditioning was droning on, keeping the room too cold for the women around me, who rushed to pull on cardigans in various jewel tones.