‘Lama Tsering visited me in a dream last night. He showed me what happened.’

In an instant I was reminded how there were different levels to everything that was happening. My kind lama had been in contact with Geshe-la?

‘He asked me to pass on a message. To remind you of the best place to hide a thing.’

‘In plain sight,’ I repeated one of Lama Tsering’s favorite sayings.

‘And ...?’ queried Geshe-la.

‘Ah yes.’ Lama Tsering had his own addition to the oft-used expression. ‘There it can also be the greatest distraction.’

‘You remember?’

‘Of course.’

‘Keep it front of mind,’ Geshe-la was emphatic.

‘I will.’

‘When the moment comes,’ it was as if he was communicating with more than words alone, ‘and it could be at any moment, the meaning of this message will be unmistakable.’

‘Good.’ I absorbed both the message as well as its importance, thinking how curious it was that I had phoned Geshe-la believing I was doing so for a particular reason, when there turned out to be a much broader purpose besides. ‘Geshe-la, the abbot wants me to try to get the Sangay Menla statue back for Tiger’s Nest. He thinks it will likely pass through Kathmandu. You have a relative who used to work in Patan?’

‘Cousin.’

‘Do you think he could help?’

‘We haven’t spoken for a while. I can ask.’

‘It’s just, I don’t know where to start—’

‘When doing something virtuous on a wide scale,’ he responded to my anxiety. ‘Like revealing this terma, there will always be interferences. Negativities. Not plain sailing.’

‘That’s for sure.’

‘Karma is ripening, including your karma, Matt. But so, too, is your readiness.’

‘It is?’

‘Of course! Confidence is necessary!’

Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised that he and Abbot Lhamo were reading from the same page.

‘I will call my cousin and let you know. In the meantime, you’ve spoken to Alice, yes?’

Alice Weisenstein, my dear friend from life before the Himalayas, was the third person on my call list. The one I wanted to reconnect to most of all.

‘Not yet.’

‘She needs your support,’ he was emphatic.

‘Okay.’

‘You know about her program?’

‘Only a bit.’

‘Find out, Matt! This is important.’ Geshe-la didn’t often use my name. When he did, I paid attention.

‘The only one who comes close to her understanding is Lobsang Mikmar. They worked together, I believe.’

Alice had never mentioned a Tibetan colleague—I would have remembered.

At that moment, two flight attendants were opening doors leading onto the apron. There was a surge of passengers towards them.

‘My flight’s about to go.’

‘Good, good!’ said Geshe-la. ‘Nice to hear your voice again,’ his voice softened.

‘Yours too.’

‘Be vigilant!’ he hung up.

•••

Kathmandu

Even at seven thirty in the evening, the fume-filled streets of old town Thamel were choked with rickshaws, bicycles, and scooters whining dangerously close.

‘Sorry, sorry,’ Dipesh kept muttering behind the steering wheel, each time he braked suddenly to avoid collision.