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listened to the soundtrack of her amusement and began to feel a little bit better.
    “I guess I single-handedly dispelled the myth that all Asians are good at yoga, so there is that,” I said. My self-induced smile was rueful.
    “Well,” Falina said as soon as she got herself under control, “you know what they say: there’s nothing like a good old Tupperware party to help you forget your worries!”
    “Who, exactly, says that ?” I felt better, but not better enough to attend a Tupperware party with her.
    “I do,” she said, “I’m throwing one at a teacher’s house near Lake Calhoun, and I think you’ll enjoy it. It’ll certainly take your mind off yoga,” she coaxed.
    Falina had sold Tupperware for years. She was good at it, with a whole bunch of people selling Tupperware underneath her—her “crew” she called them, but I’d never been to one of her parties. That suddenly seemed peculiar to me, but at the same time I wasn’t sure if she had ever read one of my articles. How could we be so close yet not have any firsthand experience with what the other did on a day-to-day basis? I remembered Dr. Browning’s advice about saying yes to social events that presented themselves to me. Damn it.
    “Okay, tell me about Mom and Dad while I make up my mind about your party,” I bartered.
    With a mixture of disbelief and awe in her voice, Falina told me their news. My eyebrows rose higher than they did when I had been trying to assume the smiling cow face yoga pose. I told Falina I’d go to her Tupperware party as I tried to digest the news she had just delivered about Benji and Elly Satou, our Mom and Dad.

 
    Book of Shadows
    Spell for Finding My Familiar
     
    Three days after the New Moon cast the circle.
    Set out a dish of dirt collected from a footprint
    and a bowl of clear, clean water.
    Burn juniper incense.
    “Blessed be Creatures of Light.”
    Light white candles in brass holders to bring protection and love.
    Missing image of Familiar due to indecision—use the earth’s offerings, whatever is around me now—this pinecone will do.
    Greet and honor the four directions and the universal elements.
    “I’m writing to Mother Earth, God, and Goddess to request assistance
    in finding my Familiar.
    I have no idea how to recognize my Familiar, therefore I have no specifics in my request, other than to humbly request that my Familiar be an animal other than a cat.”
    Written on birch paper fallen from front yard tree.
    Placed in amulet and worn until Familiar comes home with me.
    Thank the four directions and the universal elements.
    “Blessed be Creatures of Light.”
    Extinguish candles.
    Open the circle.

Chapter Five
    Pink, Naked Belly Needs a Home
    “Take the neediest animal—the one who practically throws himself at you,” Veronica said as she opened the door to the din of the dogs’ wing at the Humane Society.
    “The neediest one?” I asked. “Why? So he can die in my possession two months from now?” The barks, bawls and brays were already crushing my heart, and we hadn’t even reached the first kennel.
    “He won’t die in your possession.” Veronica sounded exasperated. She took off her swing coat and held it over one arm revealing a simple dark blue dress made less simple by a black satin corset elaborately laced up her back. The garment showcased her ample cleavage. “He’ll be so happy to have you as his new owner that he won’t even be able to contemplate dying. And because it’s one of your assignments from your shrink.” Veronica made air quotes around the words “assignments” and “shrink.”
    I had told her about my short to-do list from Dr. Browning. Veronica was anti-therapist, not trusting that people’s best interests were well-served by someone who charged by the hour, but the list of tasks did appeal to her, especially this task of adopting a companion. Bringing home a pet to help me feel better adjusted to the hole left by Mickey’s and some of our