Toronto, March 13, 1990
IT WAS DARK in Theo’s apartment and he turned on a lamp, casting a spotlight on the dining room table and on the deck of Tarot cards that lay in the center. Before sitting down, Theo switched on the stereo, moving the dial past the droning voices of news broadcasters until he reached a station where soft music was not broken by commentary. John Lennon was singing and the lyrics of “Revolution” drifted from the radio. How ironic and wonderful, Theo thought, that Lennon’s voice should fill his apartment at the same time as he was about to do his Tarot card reading.
Theo had a deep admiration for John Lennon. It was both the artist and activist in Lennon that Theo identified with. A man who constantly questioned the government and authority was a champion as far as he was concerned. Lennon had lived his life daringly and publicly and had stood up to the establishment in much the same way that Theo believed he had stood up for his own independence from the Communist regime. “It’s the dreamer in both of us,” he often remarked to friends who questioned his obsession with the former Beatle. And while Lennon’s notions were sometimes naive, Theo argued that if enough dreamers would come together, perhaps they really could change the world. It was an inspiring mantra to hold on to as he was about to embark on a journey to reclaim a family’s property.
He took a deep breath and sat down at the table, picking up the worn pack of cards and shuffling them with deliberate and purposeful movements. His interest in Tarot cards had emerged from his journey of exploring mysticism and the occult, a practice that had occupied his life and thinking for years now. While he had never had readings performed on him, some years earlier he had learned to do the readings himself, believing that he could gain insight into current and future situations, and tap into the spiritual force that guided him in his life. He often referred to Tarot cards as “little mirrors into the soul.” And that’s what this experience was for him, an opportunity to gaze inward and seek a greater understanding of his thoughts, desires, and wishes at this time. It wasn’t as if this reading would give specific instructions about particular circumstances of his mission, but the cards would provide one more spiritual glimpse into this upcoming journey, a look into the past, present, and future – one more avenue into the wisdom he would need to go to Czechoslovakia, retrieve Karl Reeser’s paintings, and get out safely.
He placed the shuffled deck in front of him and cut it into two piles, moving his hand over each of them to feel the energy that vibrated upward and into his palm. The telephone rang in the next room, but Theo ignored it. He selected one of the piles and began to lay the cards out in a specific pattern. On this evening, he was using a particular placement or spread of cards designed to peer into the nature of a creative project or undertaking, to illuminate and evaluate its many components. Lennon’s voice drifted into the background as Theo began to turn the cards over in sequence, contemplating and interpreting each revelation before moving on to the next. Several cards caught his attention.
The card at the top represented emotion, or the feelings aroused by a project. This card suggested one who was filled with vitality and passion for life. There was boundless creativity here and a lust for a change of both pace and place. The card suggested travel or escape.
Theo reflected on his upcoming trip. Everything finally seemed to be in place. His business dealings had been attended to, luggage packed, and contacts made. The gallery would be fine for the next week or so without him. There were no new openings scheduled, no client relationships to nurture, and no other business opportunities on the horizon. His passport and visa were up to date and ready to go. The last things to go in his briefcase had been the photographs of the four paintings. Theo had stared at them before dropping them into a side pocket. “Hang on,” he had said quietly, as if he were speaking directly to four people and not four inanimate objects. “I’m coming to get you.” The card he was staring at reflected a person who was daring in action, cocky in attitude, and utterly without fear.
The card on the left was a symbol of thought or the analytical process of organizing a project. This card suggested some lack of concern at the possibility of gaining all or losing all. There was extravagance represented here, along with intoxication with life – a place where ultimate knowledge and oblivion are unified.
Karl Reeser had come by weeks earlier to give Theo his advance payment. Karl’s gratitude to him for agreeing to the project was poignant, so much so that it put the monetary remuneration in second place behind Theo’s genuine desire to help this man. “These paintings became the focus of my mother’s attempts to regain our property when everything else was unattainable,” Karl had said as he pressed the envelope of cash into Theo’s hands. “She did everything she could to achieve that goal and she was unsuccessful. Please don’t fail us now.” Karl’s eyes had been pleading. Theo was certainly feeling unconcerned about the money, as the card suggested. And extravagance was a part of his being, whether he had the means or not. Still, he couldn’t deny that it always helped to have that extra cash on hand.
The card on the bottom was a symbol of the imagination. This was an indication of the creative force of an undertaking, and represented someone who was known as a con artist; one who could ignite a dangerous situation and send the most stable venture spinning wildly out of control.
At this, Theo paused. What spiritual guides would he have to be attuned to in order to complete this expedition safely? He had already acknowledged the dangers that were inherent in his trip, given his intention to illegally smuggle goods across the border. There were forces here that might impair his ability, and while he would try to steer clear of obvious dangers, one could never fully anticipate what might happen. There was only one thing of which he was certain. He knew that if anything were to go wrong with his plans, if he even smelled the faintest whiff of trouble, he would back away from this mission as quickly and as quietly as possible. Nothing was worth risking his life for, he assured himself. Not even a nice gentleman with a compelling family story. On that, Theo was clear.
On and on he went, turning the cards over, reflecting on their meaning, and then moving on to the next. By the time he had finished the reading, he felt at peace with the process and with his upcoming trip. There would be some excitement brewing ahead, as evidenced by some of the cards. But the reading had suggested that this was a journey that was important for him, and one for which he was prepared. Skill, creativity, intuition, and passion: those were the qualities that would see him through.
Lennon’s voice was still singing from the radio. The station must be playing a retrospective of his work, Theo thought. Knowing that John Lennon also had an interest in mysticism – dreams and nightmares – had further endeared him to Theo, along with the fact that Lennon had also expressed an affinity for Hieronymus Bosch. Lennon had once said, “I dream in color and it’s always very surreal. My dream world is complete Hieronymus Bosch and Dali. I love it. I look forward to it every night.”10 When Theo had first read that quote in a book of Lennon sayings, he had been dumbfounded. He saw this as another association that drew the two of them together. Lennon would be with him on this journey, an additional spiritual guide.
As Theo prepared for bed on the eve of his departure to Prague, he felt confident that his mission would be successful. He was Theo Král – the king – in this case, the king of smugglers. And while others might see that proclamation as tremendously arrogant, for Theo it was simply the truth.