DESSERT WITH BUDDHA

Merullo delivers a spirituality-themed road novel set in modern-day America.

Retired Otto Ringling has just sold his home in Bronxville, New York. He’s flush with cash and has plans to move back to his home state of North Dakota. The property Otto grew up on has been turned into a meditation center through his sister’s efforts. Otto looks forward to living there in its supportive environment, even if he hopes to spend his winters elsewhere. But what should he do with the proceeds from the sale of his home? Otto’s wife is long deceased, his kids are able to support themselves, and, as his sister points out, Otto doesn’t exactly need the funds. He’s persuaded to give the money to others, no strings attached, in an endeavor he calls his Giving Project. In pursuit of this goal, he travels with his brother-in-law, Volya Rinpoche. Rinpoche is a “sort-of Buddhist monk” who originally hails from Siberia. Rinpoche has attracted a following through his books and meditation centers, and his demeanor is always friendly and humble. The duo drive along the Eastern Seaboard as Rinpoche gives scheduled talks and Otto gives away money, overtipping a waitress, donating to a charity, and leaving substantial gratuities for hotel cleaning staff. The good economic vibes are his to spread, but the journey isn’t all sunshine and open roads; Rinpoche’s views on reincarnation and careful driving habits rankle, and then there are Otto’s doubts—is he really doing the right thing? What will his future hold?

It is difficult to dislike Rinpoche. Whether conversing in charmingly flawed English (“Want we to bring you back the breakfast?” he asks one character) or speaking patiently to a hostile crowd at a conservative university, he proves a thoroughly pleasant companion for both Otto and the reader. Otto, while not quite as fun, is nevertheless engaging as he shares his relatable feelings of guilt and concern: Did he raise his son right? What of those who would mock his Giving Project? Not even the enlightened Rinpoche has answers for all such concerns. As the highway stretches out before Otto and Rinpoche, they never know what might lie ahead. Often, what comes their way is not all that challenging: At one point the two go to an Ethiopian restaurant only to find that it is too crowded before deciding to eat elsewhere. Even for a work that is contemplative and not plot-driven, the choice between two restaurants makes for very low stakes. At another junction they eat a bad meal in North Carolina. While the experience does provoke an unexpected curse word from Rinpoche, the entire scene does not add much of consequence. Nor does the description of how the brisket in question “tasted like it had been sitting on the counter since lunch the week before and had been hastily heated up” make for engrossing prose. Still, the two travelers are real enough to make their trip captivating.

An insightful and playful journey with some uneventful detours.