Shirley MacLaine made it famous, Marianne Williamson made it legit, and I was going to make it my home for the day. No, I'm not talking about some famous Hollywood eatery or a Los Angeles amusement park, but the Bodhi Tree bookstore.

This non-descript building sits in the heart of West Hollywood on trendy Melrose Avenue, surrounded by different cafes, design shops and restaurants in an area that reeks of self-importance and an undeniable amount of hype. However upon walking inside, I found the bookstore's soft spacey music, the burning incense and the complimentary herb tea soothing to my wracked city nerves. Soon I found myself relaxing as I roamed through the walls of books on bruised wooden shelves with categories ranging from spiritual re-birthing massage to an entire room dealing with the many aspects of Buddhism.

My recent spiritual feelings had brought me here and I hoped a book, some book, would perhaps give me some guidance and solace in continuing on my numinous path. Eric was certainly going to be of no help.

"Can I help you?" Asked the granola looking woman, mid-20's, hair braided with beads and wearing a paisley dress.

"Uh…I hope so. I'm looking for…well, I don't know what I'm looking for."

"A book?"

"Uh…yes," I said, laughing at myself. She smiled, leading me over to the bestseller section.

"My suggestion is to start here and see what you're interested in. Here's a store map with the different sections. My name is Roberta if you have any questions."

"Thank you." The only problem was that she didn't look like a Roberta. Her name should have been Rainwater, Airen or some kind of hybrid--like Earthsky-- but she was Roberta. Perfectly plain and normal Roberta. In many ways, I realized how "normal" the bookstore actually was.

"Excuse me," I quipped. "Where's your bathroom?"

"Right over there." Roberta pointed to a nearby small door with an "occupied" notch above the knob. I would just have to wait, so I meandered back to the bestseller shelves.

"GOING HOME", "SPIRITUAL SUCCESS AND THE STOCK MARKET", "WOMEN, MEN, AND SOMETIMES PETS"--- these were just some of the titles on sale. I found myself gravitating towards books dealing with love and intimacy, when suddenly I heard a commotion by the front door.

I looked up, seeing a store manager in a suit greeting a strikingly beautiful woman with a head of solid gray hair. People quickly milled around the woman. A young man pushed his way forward with an open book and a pen, asking for her autograph. In that moment I knew it was spiritual leader and metaphysics writer Stella Maguire, whom I had actually seen on Oprah several weeks earlier. She was here at the Bodhi Tree to read from her new book, "LOVE IS THE FEAR." Immediately, I knew this was NO coincidence and that I was EXACTLY where I needed to be because the Universe works in unique ways. I welcomed the opportunity to meet her. Quickly she approached, looked directly at me, and nodded hello.

"Hello," I quickly said, my body flushed with excitement and turning rigid-- until the absolutely worst thing that could have happened DID happen.

Much to my disbelief and horror, my body reacted internally to my awe of Stella and before I could stop it, I realized I was farting.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! And it wasn't just a quick little burst of passing gas; it was a primal raspberry the size of a good car backfire. Like an earthquake, it felt like it went on for minutes.

She continued walking politely, albeit a little faster for fear of catching whiff of my new age gastrointestinal bomb. I stood there motionless, glancing at the bathroom door which still read "occupied." Was someone doing their laundry in there? The people that stood in my book aisle quickly evacuated, probably out of embarrassment as well as the practicality of missing the impending odor.

THIS was my first introduction to Stella Maguire, The Bodhi Tree, and my new spiritual path? Life can be truly cruel.