The following story -- minus some editorial emendations which have been introduced for purposes of flow, clarity, and protection of identities -- is related by Baba to both Marie and myself shortly after supper, while we are still at the table. None of the aforementioned changes alters either the essence of what we are told by Baba on that occasion, nor do any of these changes alter the relevant details concerning the story which is disclosed to us by our spiritual guide.

Baba tells this story to us approximately 15 months after 9-11 took place. The main story which is being related by Baba supposedly occurred some time before 9-11, but Baba was told this story by his mureeds some time after 9-11.

There is nothing in the telling of this story which suggests that Baba was either: not serious, or not telling the truth about the matter, or trying to engage Marie and myself in some elaborate practical joke. Later that evening, Marie and I discuss the story further, between ourselves, and began to outline a script concerning the story which might be worth working on at a later time because we find the story to be both fascinating and intriguing, but, when we broach this idea to Baba the next day, he indicates we must not tell anyone about the pre 9-11 incident - and, when he says this, he seems to be genuinely concerned about the welfare of various people, including ourselves, if the story is ever released to the public.

The following material is divided into two parts - the first installment gives expression to the story itself, while the final section delineates some of the symbolic character inherent in the story - symbolism which is related to issues of spiritual abuse.

Omar's voice is filled with tension, edging toward panic. In his native tongue of Urdu he says: "Baba, our lives may be in danger. We need to talk with you."

The time is 5:30 A.M. EST. Omar, along with his wife Ruby, live in Dallas, and they both were disciples of Baba, a Sufi mystical guide.

"What is this all about?" Baba asks, and, then, in rapid succession, inquires further, also in Urdu: "What kind of danger are you talking about? Couldn't things have waited until a more reasonable time? Are things really so desperate?"

"I'm sorry," Omar apologizes, "for calling you at this hour, Baba, but things really are very...", and he pauses, apparently looking for the proper word, before saying: "delicate, and we just couldn't risk waiting any longer."

Baba sighs and says soothingly: "Don't worry about the time. If you are in difficulty, then, I am here for you. You know, my son, that, as your spiritual father, if there is anything I can do, then, God willing, I will try to be of assistance to you and your wife."

Baba hesitates slightly and, then, continues: "So, just try to calm down a little and tell me what is going on."

"No, Baba," Omar quickly responds, "this is not anything which should be said on the telephone".

"Well, if not by phone, then, just what are you proposing?" Baba inquires, still trying to clear out some of the cobwebs of sleep which have been shattered by the phone's incessant ringing.

"Could we visit you for a few days?" pleaded Omar. "Both Ruby and I will feel safe if you would permit us to be with you for a little while. You are the only one who may understand what is going on. Please, let us come ... we are very scared."

"How will you get here, and what about your job?" Baba replied.

"I've already made arrangements to take some time off from work," Omar answers, "and if you will agree to our coming, we will travel by car."

"A plane would be quicker," Baba countered. "I could have somebody pick you up at the airport."

"No!" Omar said forcefully and with considerable emotion. And, then, in a somewhat more subdued tone: "Not a plane. Not a plane. There are reasons, Baba ... please, just let us come. We don't mind the extra effort and time required by the drive."

Baba replies with humor tinged with concern: "Well, well ... someone who works for an airline company who doesn't want to travel by air. This is, indeed, strange. Not a very good endorsement for your employer, Omar."

"Perhaps not," he said, "but, right now, driving may be a better solution than flying."

"Are you still worried about the aftermath of the 9-11 tragedy?" Baba asks. There is a prolonged silence before Omar continues to speak. "No, that's not the problem ... exactly."

This was followed by some more silence. Finally, Omar states: "Let's just say there is more control over things if we travel by car rather than by plane."

"When do you plan on leaving?"

"As soon as I get off the phone," Omar said.

"Don't you think you should get some rest, first?" Baba urged. "It's a long drive."

"Believe me, Baba, if we were to lay down, all we would do is stare at the ceiling," Omar replies. "We're far too tightly coiled to be able to sleep. Ruby and I will take turns driving ... we'll be OK."

Reluctantly, Baba agrees: "Well, I can't say that I am exactly thrilled by the rushed nature of your trip, but, at least, please promise me that you will drive safely and follow the speed postings. You won't be able to tell me anything if you don't arrive here in one piece." Omar makes his promise, thanks Baba, and hangs up.

A little over a day later, Omar and Ruby stand on the front porch of Baba's residence and rang the bell. After a brief wait, the door opens and the two are ushered inside.

Following a short delay, during which Sena, the person who has received Omar and Ruby, disappears somewhere into the interior of the house, she returns and indicates that Baba should be out in an hour, or so, but, in the meantime, he has given instructions for Omar and Ruby to make themselves at home in the guest room, refresh themselves, if they like, with a shower, and, then, have something to eat. In addition, if either of the two felt tired, then, they should try to sleep a little.

Several hours later, Baba glides into the living room. Both Omar and Ruby rise to greet their teacher. Omar kisses Baba gently on the forehead, and, then, in a similar fashion on each cheek. Ruby bows her head slightly before Baba, and he softly pats the top of her head.

Baba lowers himself into a sofa chair and motions for his guests to take seats on the couch running along the wall to his left. Sena brings tea for everyone and after finishing, she sits down on the floor near the doorway which leads to the kitchen.

After making polite inquiries about their trip, Baba becomes silent and waits for either Omar and/or Ruby to explain what has been happening and why they seem to be so desperate to visit with him. In the interim, he begins to prepare a cigar for lighting.

Ruby uses her elbow to nudge Omar's arm slightly. When he turns toward her, she nods her head slightly in Baba's direction, and her eyes seem to say: 'go ahead'.

Having received his cue, Omar begins somewhat haltingly, but soon warms to the topic. "A few days ago, my brother, Hussein, who lives in California, came to me with an incredible story - almost unbelievable, really.

"He has had trouble finding steady employment for quite some time and, somehow -- through one of his friends, I think - he found out about a permanent job possibility in New York City. This was prior to 9-11. Apparently, some company was willing to provide an all-expenses paid trip to New York for both Hussein and his wife, Ra'bia.

"There was going to be an extensive interview process conducted in New York. If the two of them did well, they would be hired by the company at a very decent salary.

"After checking the company out a little, and making a few related inquiries, Hussein and Ra'bia were sufficiently satisfied that the offer was a legitimate one. Consequently, they contacted the company and signed up for an interview.

"A few days later, they received a set of first-class, round-trip air tickets via courier. Accompanying the tickets was a letter which, among other things, indicated that a suite had been reserved for them at one of the ritzier hotels in Manhattan.

"Their stay was to be for three days - Friday through Sunday. The interview was scheduled for Saturday and would last most of the day.

"When Hussein and his wife arrived at La Guardia, they found a limousine waiting for them. Soon, thereafter, they were unpacking in their hotel room - or, I should say, suite of rooms.

"It was fairly late when they got to the hotel, and they were hungry, despite eating something on the plane. However, a hospitality basket had been provided through room service, and it contained a wide selection of edibles and liquid refreshments. Not too long after they finished eating, there was a knock on the door, and when Hussein went to investigate, he was met by a male and female masseuse who had been sent as part of the complimentary package which was being paid for by the company subsidizing the trip.

"Things began to get really strange at this point. Both Hussein and his wife indicate they started to feel very dizzy and disoriented shortly before the arrival of the two masseuses. This condition seemed to worsen with time.

"They both vaguely recall being led by the massage specialists to some training tables in two adjoining rooms which were a part of the hotel suite. However, neither one of them seems to remember much after that point - except they both had a rather vague, disquieting, hallucinatory-like sense of having been sexually violated during the night by a person or persons unknown.

"Neither of them spoke to the other - at least, not initially -- about their feelings concerning the possible events which transpired during the night. For all they knew, their experiences were just a bad dream ... although each of them had some unexplained aches and pains in, and around, their private parts.

"They awoke the next morning, got dressed, and went to the place in the hotel which had been set aside for the interviews. The room turned out to be a very large, theater-like set-up, with a huge screen in the front that arose above a stage.

"The audience consisted almost exclusively of people from Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Middle East. Once those who had been invited to the interview process were assembled, the doors at the back of the hall were shut, and a white man went to the rostrum which was on the stage and began to speak about the structure of the interview.

"All that Hussein and Ra'bia can recall concerning what the speaker said involved two things. First, there were directions requiring each participant to put on the headphones attached to his or her chair just prior to the commencement of the interview process. In addition, the man requested that everyone just follow the instructions which would be appearing on the screen by using, when appropriate, the buttons embedded in the right arm of each seat.

"The only other thing they remember being said by the man came in response to a question from the audience inquiring about the identity of the people who were running the company. The speaker said: 'We are the ones who make and break governments.'

"A little later, the speaker instructed the people to familiarize themselves with the buttons embedded in the arm rest of their chairs, and, then, to put on the headphones attached to their seats, relax, and co-operate with the directions that would be forthcoming via the screen and their headphones. The room darkened and the screen at the front of the hall began to be filled with images.

"Hussein and Ra'bia are a little sketchy concerning the details about what they heard and saw during the presentation or interview. However, they do both recall that they saw planes repeatedly being flown into two tall buildings - very much like the twin towers of the World Trade Center and that these towers erupted in flame when struck by the airplanes and, eventually, they reported seeing the buildings collapse.

"In addition, they both remember being asked via the headphones whether they would be willing to fly the planes that were crashing into the buildings if they knew their children were in those towers. They were asked to respond by selecting the appropriate button from among the possibilities along the top of the arm of their seats. There were many other questions which were asked during the presentation, but neither Hussein or Ra'bia remembers much except bits and pieces that don't seem to make much sense.

"The next thing they knew, they found themselves wandering the streets of Manhattan. They don't know how they got there or how much time had passed, but it was night time.

"Eventually, they found their way back to the hotel, made their way to their suite, and both collapsed in a state of exhaustion on the bed. The next morning they awoke with only fleeting images of the events which, supposedly, took place on the previous day.

"Their flight to California was scheduled for early in the afternoon. They packed, took a taxi to the airport, and returned home.

"The story though, Baba, doesn't end here. It becomes even stranger. "Approximately a week to 10 days after returning to California, Ra'bia began to behave in such bizarre and violent ways that she was hospitalized for a short period of time in a mental facility. Among other things, she was accusing Hussein of being the Anti-Christ.

"Her condition improved over a period of two to three weeks. She is on some medication and seems to have become stabilized.

"But, no sooner did Ra'bia return to relative normalcy, then, Hussein went off the deep end. He became very paranoid and was accusing Ra'bia of such things as being in league with Satan.

"He, too, was hospitalized for a period of time. Now, he is out, and the strange behavior largely has disappeared.

"When we finally found out about some of what had been going on with them, Ruby and I invited them to spend some time with us in Dallas. After living with us for a few days, they both broke down and related the whole series of events, starting with the trip to New York.

"Once we heard their story, Ruby and I became quite frightened. We began to wonder if, inadvertently, we had become involved in something sinister - not necessarily in relation to the behavior of my brother and his wife ... although, to be sure, that is very disturbing ... but, rather, I am referring to the possibility there may be some degree of truth in the events which they related to us -- after all, if the people behind the New York interview really are people who make and break governments, then, breaking someone like my brother and his wife, or breaking anyone who hears their story, would likely be an easy thing for such individuals to accomplish."

Baba has been attentively listening throughout Omar's overview of the events involving Hussein and Ra'bia. When Omar concludes his story, Baba remarks: "Well, I don't know whether, or not, their story is true, but if it is, then, what better way to discredit people who failed the interview than to plant, say, post-hypnotic suggestions during the interview process, which would later be manifested in crazy behavior? After such psychotic-like outbreaks, who would treat their story as anything but the ravings of two people who had gone mad?