young woman who was walking beside him. I was flooded
with embarrassment and I thought too loudly, "You always
see me when I am a mess.”

As the twosome came closer I smiled, expecting my
teacher to return some greeting of acknowledgment. He
walked right past me, without any hint of recognition.

I was devastated, and turned toward him, calling
desperately, “Rama!”

He turned around, faced me and said, “I could say that
you are like a deer, bounding through life!”

His eyes met mine as he spoke, and I dissolved into