Alfred’s MacGuffin
Alfred loved movies and enjoyed many favourite parts–the end confrontation in The Maltese Falcon, the swordfight with a skeleton in The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad, the redemption of the anti-hero in Stalog 17. Gene Kelly Singing In The Rain. King Kong in New York. Lawrence in Arabia.
Whether using his TV, computer or video projector, it was easy for Alfred to skip to the ‘good parts’ and skip over the bad (for example, boring scenes or any time a character vomited.) Alfred believed he should be able to do the same with his life—enjoy only the good parts.
It was Alfred’s MacGuffin.
Alfred settled on Astral Projection as the most practical solution: leave his body during the difficult stuff, return after it was over. He located experienced mentors in his area who, over a year (a slow part he yearned to skip,) taught him to learn enough to attain his goal. He could leave his body behind, enjoying himself while his body endured life’s bad parts, returning when it was better.
Alfred started the next day. He skipped a boring work meeting by Projecting himself to Niagara Falls and seeing the sights (while his other self was in the meeting.) He avoided a week with his difficult Aunt by Projecting to Egypt to admire the Pyramids. He avoided an entire Spring visiting Uranus (which, you may not want to know, he found unpleasant.)
Each time after he returned he remembered what his body experienced. At first, it was what he hoped, but before long it became…troubling. He loved his Astral experiences but he only floated through them. Without the build up, the good stuff paled. Life’s good stuff had to be balanced by the crap.
Alfred had lost something meaningful. Should he stop?
He had avoided second acts.