by Andrew Borakove May 09, 2017

Gong Purchaser... wethinks you may find yourself at a crossroads. 

Perhaps One of Life? Perhaps One of Love? Perhaps One of Spirit?

At this crossroads, wethinks there are three tunnels branching off in different directions.

Gong Purchaser... You can-

(A) Take the tunnel whose entrance is overgrown with moss and cobwebs.

(B) Take the tunnel which seems to be blowing out warm air.

(C) Take the tunnel which is rimmed by gold-plated animal skulls. Which to take? What does Charles Bukowski suggest?

CHOOSE A

You push aside the soft trappings which hang over the tunnel’s mouth. You see something glimmering in the distance. You begin to move forward, only to step into an abyss. The floor shoots out from underneath you on a slant. You rush towards you know not what. Your descent thumps to a conclusion in a brightly lit corridor. There is a young woman standing above you.

She holds a 12”" Heng Gong. You know its name intuitively.

You know her right brain, but have no words left brain.

You see a sunflower as it sprouts from her hand.

She holds out a mallet so that you may strike the gong. You reach out to take the mallet. A firefighter riding a dragon swoops down and chops off your head. It feels good as your head tumbles away and you watch your body crumble.



CHOOSE B

The warm air flows out of the tunnel, over your skin as you step into the tunnel’s depths. You hear a nearby hissing. The hair on the back of your neck stands up. The flow of air abruptly switches direction and increases in intensity. You have no time to brace yourself. The air pushes you forward into the tunnel. You drop your sandwich.

The stream of air coughs you out into a brightly lit corridor. There is a young woman standing above you. She is the Librarian of the Archives. She is about to start a reading circle. She has been using a daisy as a bookmark in her favorite tome. She removes the bookmark. She picks up a 12”" Heng Gong and offers you the chance to ring it to begin the reading circle.

You take the mallet and prepare to give it your all. You swing the mallet. At the last second, she lifts the 12”" Heng gong high out of your reach, as if it were a pinata. Your mallet swing whiffs through empty air. Those gathered for the reading circle all laugh. You are embarrassed. You need a drink, or two, or three.



CHOOSE C

The light of your torch plays over the gilded skulls, seeming to imbue them with fresh life. You shudder. Something crunches beneath your feet. You look down to see what it is. Your torch goes out. You see only darkness. Your torch flares back to life.

You are not where you were.

You are in a brightly lit corridor.

A young woman stands before you. She is waving around a flower. She points the flower at you as if it were a conductor’s wand.

You are enthralled.

You begin to dance. Your heart fills up with joy.

She accompanies your joy by tolling the 12" Heng Gong which she always carries with her. You dance so hard you drop your torch.

You burn the whole place down. The young woman is very sad.



There you have it, any way you slice it, there’s a 12”" Heng Gong in your future. Help to align your disparate destinies, bring them all into accord.

Many endings may be bittersweet, but there’s real joy to be had in the journey, but the 12”" Heng gong makes a perfect traveling companion. The 12”" Heng gong means adventure!

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