The Orange Lodge

Chapter House 19

I’m not sure where this all began, but I’ll peg August 21, the day of the Great American Eclipse. That was the day I went to seek therapy about symptoms of depression. I was there at the clinic at the exact time of the eclipse, and I joined some of the staff out on the sidewalk to view the historic event. At least I could be assured that they had the medically approved eye protection, which they kindly shared. 

I hadn’t really planned the visit for that exact date, because the first date offered was Sept. 11 and I felt that I didn’t want my reach-out for therapy to get all synced up with 9/11, so I chose the next one offered, not yet knowing the signs and portents of that day.

My therapy “intake” interview was on Sept. 19. That’s when they get their first look at me, and I sign a bunch of release forms. As I was signing, the case worker volunteered: “Today is the 19th, which is also my dog’s birthday. I have no idea why I just said that.”

I replied: “Well that’s odd, because today is also my dog Oliver’s birthday”. 

Twin dogs, twin stars. Birthdays. It reminded me of Sirius, the “dog star”, which is actually two stars: Sirius A and Sirius B.

My first actual therapy appointment wasn’t scheduled until Sept. 27, and on Sept. 25 I had a dream:

I was a fraternity brother. I was attempting to get all the bro’s packed and ready, we were going on a road trip or something. I was half naked, with nothing on but trainers and an orange polo shirt. It didn’t feel unusual, I wasn’t embarrassed - apparently this was normal attire in this frat. I ran from floor to floor organizing the guys. I paused once at a hall mirror to look at myself critically, because I didn’t really like the shirt and was considering what to wear on the trip. I decided to keep the orange polo shirt after all, it looked good on me.

Fireman

On the 27th I went to meet my new therapist. She was late, so I got to peruse a nice children’s picture book about life in the middle ages, at a baron’s castle. All the soldiers wear the coat of arms of the baron’s family. When I sat down to meet my therapist in her office, her first act was to offer me an orange.

This reminded me of the House of Orange-Nassau, and I considered that orange was the signature color of my dream fraternity.

Fire-lion

On Sept. 30 I read Fraternity Rituals - a homoerotic story set in the basement of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. Have I mentioned yet that I was a Kappa Sig? Though I don’t recall initiation rituals quite like this one.

On Oct. 3, I had another appointment about my depression, and I was given an orange-flowered pen with which to fill out the questionnaire. Note the 3/17 sync.

Then my own birthday arrived on Oct. 11. It was uneventful (besides having dinner at Syren’s Grill) except that  an old frat brother of mine called to wish me a happy birthday. I hadn’t seen or spoken to him in over 15 years.

As it turns out, the fraternal order of the Freemasons revere Sirius, they call it the Blazing Star. It shows up in a lot of occult art: the stairway to Sirius.

Note the checkerboard motif as well.

I was also visiting Home Depot a lot because I’m building a small boat in my garage and I’m always scouting for tools and materials. Being duly sensitized to orange via my dream, I notice the signature color of this hardware store. And the orange aprons.

On the square

Masons are famous for their aprons.

Pyramid schemes

So then October 31 rolls around: Halloween. Can’t really think about Halloween without orange.

And on that day, an orange aproned Home Depot rental truck with a large “19” painted on the side, driven by a fellow wearing a black and white checkerboard shirt, plowed into a crowd of Halloween revelers in Tribeca Manhattan, killing 8. 

I note the orange-aproned truck was heading directly toward Ground Zero. Can’t escape the 911 Sync Hole after all.

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Notes:

Christopher Knowles and his Secret Sun has been all over the color orange lately.

Just to fuck with me: Orange Porsche 911 w/ balkenkreuz at Bring a Trailer on 10/31/17.