S itting across from Lady Azullia, on your knees, around a woven tablecloth laid out over the floor, with incense burning in the center of it, she requsets you to start chanting a phrase that you would swear was stolen from the cult in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom."

"Moula-raahm, Mouhla raaaaam," she chants, and embarrasingly, so do you. After about five minutes of this, she puts her hands together as if to beg, and starts arguing with the ceiling. "I know he is offensive, but he's paying me a lot of money. Please, come down and talk to us.... I could plug my nose...." Is all you make out, but it is enough to tell you what is going on. Just as Lady Azullia is starting to look like she has lost all hope, her eyes jump wide open and she sits with a blank, startled look on her face for a moment, then: "Heya, stink-o," you hear in a very familliar accent, "It's me, Jack!" Wow, the best friend you ever had, Jack Bluskin, your mentor, the old guy that taught you everything you ever knew about the buisness. Coincidently, you realize, that means he is the one responsible for your problem.

"Jack! -You old piece of shit!" You exclaim. "How are you?" "DEAD!" He proudly pronounces, "You remember, don't you, I saw you at my funeral..." "I know you're dead," you reply, "but, well, what's it like there, I mean, how are they treating ya? -What can you tell me about the Afterlife?" "Needs some Oregeno." He answers. "But I can tell you something about your problem." "Anything!" you exclaim. You don't bother to make him feel guilty about putting you in the situation to begin with, because it is so very strange to hear his voice come from a small gypsy woman, not a way you ever wanted to think of your friend, and you want it over as soon as possible. "What do I need to do?"

"Bernie, I know that you are mad at me for making you like this. I was nearly as stinky as you are by the time I passed on. But the only way to become purified, to clean out the stench from your system, is to come with me into the spirit world and right a wrong of both our pasts." "What?!!??" You scream, "I gotta die?" "No, not at all." Your long-dead friend assures, "Well, maybe just a little- I need you to leave your earthly body, and join me in the spirit world so I can show you the truth about what happened to us, so that you can come back and right the great wrong."

After asking all the questions there are to ask the spirit, Lady Azullia assures you that she can safely aid the spirit of Jack in sending you both into and back from the spirit realm. -For Ten thousand dollars! Your Spidey sense is tingling- this just might be a great big hoax. On the other hand, not only does this promise to solve your problem, you would have a chance to right whatever "Great Wrong" your dead friend is moaning about.


So do you politely decide to give the plastic surgeon a shot?

Do you tell Lady Azullia that she is full of spiritual Crap?

Or do you decide to go for it, pay the $10 K, and give death a chance?