The Long Journey to Jake Palmer Read Online Free PDF Page A

he wouldn’t find the answer in his outline. The problem was buried somewhere much deeper.
    By the time they flew over South Dakota an hour and a half later, Jake had skimmed through half a dozen articles on kayaking. Leonard apparently was done reading as well, because he closed his book and shoved it into the holder on the back of the seat in front of him. He did it with enough force to make the scarecrow-thin woman seated there rise up, twist, and glare at him with coal-black eyes. At first it seemed Leonard didn’t notice, but as the woman continued to fling her scowl at him, he waved a hand as if to dismiss her, then focused on Jake.
    “These planes? Way too small. Metal tube shooting through the sky like an elongated toaster with wings. Only the ninth time I’ve been on one in my life, and it’d make me plenty happy for this to be my last.”
    “I’m not a fan either.” Jake knocked on the white wall of the plane to his left. “Can’t wait till they invent teleportation so I can beam all over the country instantaneously.”
    “They’ve already done it.” Leonard gave Jake that double-gap-toothed smile. “They have. I’m one hundred percent serious. Now it wasn’t people or lab rats or even bugs, I’ll give you that much. But way back in 2014 scientists took two qubits that were separated by a distance of three meters and watched and recorded the spin of one electron and saw that same spin reflected in the other qubit instantly. Instantly. No time passed. Teleportation. Proven.”
    “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Jake grinned. “But it sounds dang cool.”
    “All I’m trying to tell ya is—think there’ve been breakthroughs over the past hundred years? Ain’t nothing compared to what’s coming.”
    “You’re into technology?”
    “Nah, but I like to read. And I’m intrigued by things that prove we don’t have next to nothin’ figured out. See, I think there’s way more to life than what our ears can hear or our eyes can see. We’ve barely scratched the surface of the surface of what’s out there beyond our five senses. There’s much more going on than we know.”
    A flight attendant passed by with a large bottle of water and Leonard flagged her down as if he were in a restaurant. After his plastic cup was filled, Leonard pointed at Jake and gave him a cryptic smile.
    “What do you do, Jake?”
    “I’m a speaker and a corporate trainer.”
    “Oh yeah?”
    “I give talks to the public, I work with salespeople, CEOs, managers, individuals.”
    The cryptic smile again. “And what do you teach them?”
    “How to help them see deeper into themselves. See that the things that hold them back are usually lies they believe are true. I help them see themselves as they truly are.”
    “For some that could be a rather disturbing vision.”
    Jake laughed and popped the last of his airline peanuts into his mouth. “Yeah, I could tell you some stories, wow. But I’ve found most people are well aware of their faults, their weak areas, those places where they’ve brought pain to themselves and those around them. And they dwell on those failings and continually beat themselves up with a stick so big they have no chance of seeing the other side; the areas where they bring light and hope and life to people. And even though others can see those qualities, the people themselves can’t.”
    The smile on Leonard’s face grew as he tapped the plane’s armrest between him and Jake. “And because they are so focused on their own darkness, they miss the light and don’t do all they could for themselves or those around them.”
    “Well said. I should hire you to write the copy on my website.”
    Leonard’s face grew serious and he nodded as if it was a certainty that would happen. “When do you want me to start?”
    “I was kidding.” Jake laughed again. He liked this quirky guy.
    “Don’t worry, so was I.” A knowing smile grew on his face. “I think you’re doing people