At a certain point in her mid-twenties Kristie became enamored with Baba Ram Das, Be Here Now, various Eastern philosophies, and religions. She read, studied and followed many of the practices in her own way. She became a vegetarian, began meditating, and doing yoga.
She heard that Baba Ram Das was going to be in town for a lecture. Although she couldn’t really afford the ticket price, and she had a two month old baby, she got it together. She gathered the money and took the baby in a front pack intent on an evening of quiet meditation.
She was sitting close to the front of the stage on the floor in a cluster of other young Hippie mamas. Ram Das gave his blessing and began his lecture “Be Here Now” which was really just re-stating what he had written in the book. “Ommm…” He called out over the audience and all responded in kind. “Ooommmm…”
“Wahhhhhh!” her baby boy cried. “Wahhhh eh heh eh whahhhh…” He continued until Kristie took him out of the front pack to comfort him and offer him her breast. He had been a little colicky, and she had tried to deal with it in good spirit, but the little child was beginning to bug Ram Das who wanted the quiet adoration for himself. The mother and child were ruining his “wah.”
“Wahhh, whaaa!” The baby kept on… A woman next to Kristy couldn’t stand it anymore, pulled out her own breast and said, “Here. Give him to me.” Women often fed each other’s babies in those days, so no one thought anything of it. “Wahhhh…” She couldn’t quiet him either.
Then the woman next to her pulled out her breast and tried, and the next woman, and the next… It was like they were a nest of lactating breeders – all different shapes and sizes for the same function: some large and plentiful, some small and functional, some in between… a line of women with their dripping breasts hanging out ready to feed any crying child.
Ram Das announced that the whole auditorium was now going to attempt to quiet this child. “Ommm…,” he began and the thousands who were there to see and praise him responded, “Ommm…” The whole theater was in unison now, “Ommmm…. Ommmm….” Still the baby cried, “Wahhh!”
Fianally Ram Das asked that Kristie take the baby and withdraw so that he could continue. Getting up with all eyes on her, she complied and stood out in the foyer rocking the boy and listening to as much as she could. She soon lost interest in Baba Ram Das shortly after that.
But the image of all those Hippie mamas with their breasts out, dripping with milk, ready to feed, stays – and makes her smile. All in all, the dear boy had at least a half dozen different titties in his mouth that evening. He’s always had a way with the ladies!
(First Published 8/10/11)
