Reading Mind-to-Mind to Keep Track
Audio artist Ken Nordine muses on the world of mind reading. While talking about mind-to-mind communication, Nordine uses the two voices inside his one brain to deal with the subject in his "word jazz" style.
MICHELE NORRIS, host:
The power of thought has been on the mind or the two minds of commentator Ken Nordine.
KEN NORDINE: What were you doing the other day?
I forget. Why, what do you mean?
I was trying to read someone's mind.
Who are you taking lessons from?
He's a guru. Charlie Zen. Looked into a storefront with a sign in the window for free lessons.
Well, what is this Charlie -
Zen. Charlie Zen.
Yeah. What kind of lessons does he give?
Well, he talks funny, like in riddles. Sometimes, I think he's hiding something. He'll maybe say something like an empty mind is nirvana's workshop. I really don't know yet where he's coming from, and the lessons are free so.
The price is right.
Yeah. Last lesson I took, he looks me in the eye, stares at me like he's in a deep trance.
Sounds spooky.
And tells me that truth is right in front of you, and your your back is turned. He's kind of whispering through right here. I thought he was talking to someone who wasn't there, and I turned around. Of course, there wasn't. It was just me.
Spooky.
Nobody in back of me.
How many lessons do you have to take?
Well, seven. He said if you don't get it by seven, there's no hope for heaven.
A guru poet.
Three more and then I'll know.
Then you'll know what?
What? Well, maybe I'll know if I'm able to read minds. I'll be able to look at someone and say I know what you're thinking.
Could you read my mind?
He's got a diploma on the wall, mind reader license, authorized to read minds. High class parchment, too, right behind him, framed in a gold frame.
He is a fraud.
Funny, that guy. He's a fraud.
Yes, I know. You're wasting your time.
I'm wasting my time?
I'm reading your mind.
Guy could be a fraud?
He could be a fraud. Tell the truth.
I'll tell you the truth. I have doubts about him, too.
You have doubts, see. I can read your mind.
But it's free. He's fun to talk to.
Yeah.
He's the only guru I know. Although the next time I see a shy girl, all freckled, I'll look right into her mind and see what's going on.
She's worried.
Like a good mind reader. Without asking a single question.
I know, I can read your mind.
Like a good mind reader should.
She's worried.
She's worried.
She's worried about her -
She's worried about her freckles falling off her face.
That can happen.
That can happen.
She doesn't have a full set.
She doesn't have a full set.
That's what she is thinking. Next time you see her, see if I wasn't right.
NORRIS: Chicago's Ken Nordine applying his patented audio technique he calls word jazz to the subject of mind reading.
Copyright © 2007 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.