A book-distribution vacation

In 2008, I was able to take an early retirement from my job. I decided to fill my van with books and visit temples I had never seen before.

One place I visited was Philadelphia. After getting permission to stay in the temple, I was told to go near Rittenhouse Square for book distribution. I had decided I would sell books in dhoti and tilak and use a table. I have an efficient “book distribution kit” that fits on a two-wheel baggage carrier.

I arrived in downtown Philly and had to park a good distance from the Square. So I loaded my cart and began walking to the spot. I finally reached the Park, but I was exhausted.

So before looking for which store to setup near, I decided to take a breather on the bench. I didn’t want to talk to anyone, so I could catch my breath and find my sankirtan spot. But as soon as I sat down, a homeless lady sat near me.

I thought, “Please don’t talk to me. I need to recover so I can sell some books.”

She immediately asked me, “What are you selling?”

Giving her the “I don’t feel like talking now” cold shoulder, I said, “Books.”

She asked, “What kind of books?”

I just handed her a hard bound Gita. After a few minutes, she asked “How much?”

I said, “Ten dollars.”

She handed me a $10 bill. I got fired up! This is the spot!

I got up and setup my small table with books and a changing bodies relief.

Immediately a police officer came over and said, “You can’t do that here.”

I said, “We have been doing this since 1974. I know you haven’t seen us in awhile. But we can do this here. We have won a ton of court cases to prove it also. You need to check with your superior. You look real young so you probably don’t know about us.”

He makes a radio call, and a couple of police cars arrive. The officer goes over and about four other police officers get out and start looking at me and talking among themselves. One is obviously the boss.

He has a fancy hat and grey hair. After about five minutes, they all drive off.

I say to myself, “Thank you, Krsna!”

All of a sudden, venders of all kinds of stuff began to setup tables. It turned into a bazaar! Shortly afterwards, an old Jewish lady was passing my table using a walker. I was on fire by now because of the past two incidents. I say to her as she is about to pass, “I bet you don’t have anything like this on your bookshelf?”

She stops and looks at me and asks “What is it?”

I said, “It is the Bhagavad gita, classic philosophical literature of India!”

I hand her the book and tell her how Emerson, Einstein, and other great intelligent people of that time read this book.

She is reading the reviews from the university professors, when I say to her “You and your friends will have some great conversations about this book!”

She asks “How much?”

I say “ten dollars!”

She hands me a ten-dollar bill, puts the book under her arm, and continues her journey home!

Book-distribution vacation, ki jai!

your servant,

Sikhi Mahiti Das (ACBSP)

Author: admin

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