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;void(0)) Have you ever met someone for the first time and felt as if you had met them before? Have you ever viewed an art work and felt an almost spiritual attraction to it? How about listening to various accounts of near death experiences. Have you noticed that they almost all sound similar? Along with Sigmund Freud, Dr. Carl G. Jung was one of the pioneers in psychoanalysis. In fact, Dr. Jung was slated to inherit the chairmanship of the International Psychoanalytic Association upon Dr. Freud’s passing. However, this was not to be, because the two had a parting of the ways over certain technicalities too extensive to explore here. What we can deal with, albeit very briefly, will be Dr. Jung’s seminal contribution to psychology and the arts. Carl Jung introduced the concept of the “Collective Unconscious” to the world. He considered the mind, acting through its biological collaborator, the human brain, to be prefigured by evolution. The individual is linked with his past and the past of his entire species through this reservoir of latent images. We inherit these images from our ancestral past. They are not consciously remembered, but they are predispositions or potentialities for experiencing and responding to the world in the ways that our ancestors did. Some of them are communicated to us in the form of myth or our grandparents’ old stories. If we really delve into the origins of these stories we will find that there are certain similarities, whether they are rooted in European, African, or Asian culture. Jung did not feel that experimental natural science was the best means to understand the human soul. For him, the world of dream, myth (art, religion, symbolic drama) represented the most fascinating and promising road to deeper understanding. We see some of Jung’s symbols and imagery in movies like the Matrix and Star Wars. The character Ackee in the Ackee Chronicles is well developed. His image was carefully crafted to give many of the readers (as many I have come across in my talks and book signings) the impression that they know him personally. One lady insisted that I was writing about someone she knew. The Ackee Chronicles, like The Matrix and Star Wars, utilizes many of Jung’s theoretical images from the Collective Unconscious to present the reader with a familiar feel for the characters and the moral concepts. In the “Curse of the White Bear” the bear depicts many things. In many societies the bear is considered taboo. In many northern European cultures the bear is considered the spirit of one’s forefathers. As a character in the Ackee Chronicles the bear is an instrument for retributive justice, haunting only the male heirs of the Baker family, but as a symbol it extends its baleful gaze upon all of us. Like Melville’s Moby Dick, it’s a reminder of an evil that lies at the center of existence, with which we all must eternally wrestle. Throughout the book there are other symbols and archetypes (the female in the “Atlanta Affair”; the Great Mountain and the Wise Old Elder in “Murder in the Rain Forests”; the symbolism of gold prospecting; and, of course, the Ackee/Wesley Smith symbiosis). If you are not familiar with any of Carl Jung’s writings I would suggest you consult your local library or bookstore. I’m sure you would find it to be very intriguing. The scholar James Campbell, whose presentations on the “Power of Myth” you may have seen on PBS, was highly influenced by Carl Jung. In fact some may find Dr. Campbell’s modern approach easier to comprehend. Speaking of the Ackee Chronicles I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your generous interest in the book. The demand has been overwhelming and it has given me renewed impetus to continue along the road of creativity. With this edition of the Aton Project we present to you a brief Ackee tale. The only difference is that we are leaving the solution to you, the reader. For you Ackee fans we are hopeful that you have absorbed some of his problem solving acumen. The “Ackee Quandaries” that you will read here on a quarterly basis will eventually be part of a book length set that we are hopeful to present by the end of the year. So put on your Ackee dreads and join us as we begin to unravel the mysteries of the “The Ackee Quandaries”. Oh yeah, don't forget your autographed copy of “The Ackee Chronicles”. Tony VanSluytman - the Author  Ackee was still a bit drowsy as he walked down the pathway of the Calloway home in the Sunset subdivision of Garfield. He had just finished solving the Pritchard murder mystery the day before. It was a difficult case that kept him up for about 48 hours. After going home and finally getting a few hours rest he was aroused at 5AM by a phone call from Inspector Barnes. Peter Calloway of Calloway and Jackson, a prosperous law firm had been poisoned at a Fourth of July party at his home, and Barnes had asked Ackee to have a look. “Happy belated Fourth, Ackee,” Said Barnes dourly at the front door. “Right this way, sir.” Barnes led Ackee into a large, well-furnished living room. Three men and a woman, still in the previous night’s casual chic, sat numbly on a long sofa. “The body has been removed,” Said Barnes. “Ms. Calloway has gone down to headquarters.” “I suppose these four, I take it, were the guests at the party?” Said Ackee. “That’s right. Sean Ashton is – was – Calloway’s paralegal. Laura Wayne is a friend of Ms. Calloway and has written several cookbooks. Anderson Jackson is the junior partner in Calloway’s firm, and Paul Calloway is the victim’s nephew.” Ackee sat down in an armchair across from the sofa and glanced quickly around the room. Barnes. Took out his official notebook. “I’d like to ask the four of you to repeat to, er, Mr. Ackee here what you remember about the events of last night,” Said the Inspector. Ashton, a haggard man with a trim, dark goatee, gave a long sigh. “Up until about --- 10 o’clock,” he said, “it was pretty much the same party we have together every Fourth, except for Paul being with us.” “I’m taking the Florida Bar exam next week,” Said Paul. “I’ve been staying with Aunt Betty and Uncle Peter until I can find a place of my own in Garfield.” “What went on until 10 o’clock?” Asked Ackee. “Oh, you know,” said Ms. Wayne, “bar-b-que, chips and beer in the backyard in the afternoon, some light conversation. The fellahs played some cards. Around 6 or 7 o’clock we came inside for dinner and drinks. Went down to the park to watch the fireworks. Got back here about 9 or 9:30 --- thereabouts. Had some hors d’ oeuvres I had prepared.” She clutched a crumpled napkin and brushed away a tear. Ackee began twisting the strands of his goatee. “And what happened after the hors d’ oeuvres?” “Well, Betty popped a bottle of champagne and we all stood up and drank a toast to the good ol’ US of A. In doing so, Anderson accidentally bumped into Peter and caused him to spill some of his champagne, but it was quickly cleaned up. A few moments later, though, Peter just collapsed. We thought it was a heart attack and called an ambulance. By the time the medics arrived, Peter was already dead. They checked him, said it looked suspicious, and called in the police.” “Thank you. Excuse us for a moment, please.” Ackee stood up and stepped into the hallway with Barnes. “What did the medical examiner find?” Ackee asked Barnes. Barnes grimaced and scratched the back of his neck. “Doc James says it looks like a fast-acting poison. We’ve tested the champagne remaining in Calloway’s glass and stains on his clothing, though there’s no trace of poison.” “And the hors d’ oeuvres?” “The guests say he ate only half of one. The half he didn’t eat checked out clean. He didn’t eat or drink anything else.” “Any food or strange objects in his pockets?” “No just keys, change, and a comb. That’s what has us stumped. He must have been poisoned right around 10 o’clock, but we can’t even figure out how he ingested the stuff.” Ackee gave a gaping yawn before replying. “Excuse me,” He said. “If Doc James’ results are confirmed, and no more facts come in, I think I can point out how the murder take place and who do it.” QUESTION: Who murdered Peter Calloway, and how? ANSWERS IN NEXT EDITION OF THE NEWSLETTER... 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