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Dear Vijaya Prabhu, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I met one lady who seemed interested in the book, but was a little hesitant. She asked me what organization I was with and I told her the Hare Krishnas. She said, "Oh….. I know about you people. My brother got involved with you. It was quite a scene! He joined your group back in the seventies when he dropped out of college and gave all his tuition money to the movement. We hired a deprogrammer and there was a high speed chase all over the streets of Arizona! He went back to the temple after the deprogramming, but he eventually left the temple and he is OK now." I was reflecting on how she thought that by blooping he had become OK. I apologized for any inconvenience it may have caused in her life and she said it was no problem. Then, out of the blue she asked to see the books. She said every institution has its problems, but the philosophy is still nice. She said that I seemed to be a nice person so she wanted to read the books. She got a Bhagavad-gita and SSR and gave a donation.
Once I met an older lady who seemed interested. She took the Gita and gave a donation and I gave her a card inviting her to the temple. Her eyes grew big when she saw the card. She said, "I know you guys! I used to hate you so much! You used to wake me up so early in the morning with your music. I used to live right next to the temple on Watseka Ave." I joked with her saying that she was sleeping too late and that is why she got upset. She said, "Yeah, but I like to get up early now." So I invited her to come by and see what all the excitement is about during the mangala aroti. She said she will try to come by.
I met one guy and showed him the Gita. I explained the pictures and asked for a donation. This guy was shocked. He said, "You really think that you can walk up to anyone, put a book in their hands and then ask them to give a donation on top of that?" I said, "Sure, why not?" "It only works because you're smiling so much" he replied incredulously. He gave a nice donation and took the Gita.
Your Aspiring Servant,
Omkara Dasa
