the clerk at the store assured him that, for a fee of course, they could pack the mushroom in cold gel packs and keep the fungus fresh for hours. He had grabbed an insulted lunch bag on his way out of the house. The mushroom would have to in cold storage as soon as he got back to the facility.

He stopped on the sidewalk and checked his watch: 10:45. The storage place closed at 4 on Saturdays. He'd have enough time as long as things went smoothly. The mushroom would keep for about 3 weeks soaking in its own brine, but trying to get back to the storage facility on a day other than a Saturday to work with the mushroom, seemed unlikely. That gave him today and two more Saturdays; and he still had to make a trip to Tulare.

A little bell tingled as he opened the door. Odors of incense, oils, roots and herbs immediately hit in the nostrils. The smells almost made the air hard to breathe. The shop itself was unusually lit. There weren't many windows in the store`, but natural light seemed to fill the place. Eric looked up. The ceiling was extremely high, and Eric could see a spiral staircase headed up to second floor. The stark, white glow of the city fog caught his attention as he continued. That was it: skylights. The San Francisco fog pressed itself against the glass ceiling panels, begging to be let in. The sky was probably beautiful through the skylights after the fog cleared up. Eric hadn't heard the clerk address him.

Welcome to I-Ching Experience. The clerk dropped the endings off of her words as she spoke.

Hi. Are you Mrs. Ching?

Aye? No. No Missus Ching. I-Ching is ancient form of Chinese fortune telling. I am able to help you find something?

Chinese fortune telling. He knew there was something eerie about the place. He'd have to do this fast. The place was giving him the creeps. Eric handed her a piece of paper with the mushroom's name written on it . This mushroom- 100 grams.

The clerk took the paper. Ah, yes. Very powerful. You are a groom, and you want for honeymoon?

What? No. It's for a science project.

The clerk had made her way to a walk-in refrigerator behind her. Eric could hear her voice from around the door. You are not eat here then?

Eric raised his voice to overcome the noise of the fans in the large cooler. Uh, no. I won't be eating it here. I need it packed in my cooler.

The clerk reappeared with the mushroom in a plastic, zipper top bag. You need keep cool for how long? How long before you

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