Carson

Carson was the first of us to attain enlightenment. It wasn't the earth-shattering, levitate-over-the-futon, purple-lightning-from-temples event we were expecting, but it was enough to get him out of the dorms and into the Family Lodge. His Attainment poem, water, was remarkable only for the lack of scatological imagery:

floating from the source
no separation,
merely a wave on the sea.
such great release!

Kats was incredulous - what a crock of shit! Alan was sure he had read the same poem before - Google Soseki, 14th Century, substitute rain for water, same poem. Only Sensei was happy, making preparations for Carson's big move to the Lodge. Carson himself snuck out to catch a movie, creeping back in at 3 with longer hair and a cigarette haze. His coughs were like staccato apologies.