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It's a winter day in early 1984. The air is crisp at Newverendom and the Harry Krishna

commune in West Virginia. Steve Bryant sits on the cold marble floor of Prabhu

Pod's Palace of Gold, the memorial shrine built for the founder of the Harry

Krishna movement. Steve's wife, Jane, is beside him and at the front of the room,

Kirtana Nanda, the commune spiritual leader, sits in an ornately carved teak chair

smiling at his flock. Steve closes his eyes and chance, swaying on the tide

of voices that chant with him. The palace of gold is spectacular and humbling.

Crystal chandeliers and gold leaf glitter above, onyx and marble adorn the walls.

Morning light will soon stream through the colorful stained glass windows, but not yet,

because it's 430 in the morning. Steve opens one eye and glances at Jane.

She swept up in the chant. It's clear she feels something spiritual.

Steve is trying, trying to chant, trying to feel the same spirit, trying to be a good husband,

father and devotee, to promise he made to himself when he returned to Newverendom

a few months ago. He was willing to return because his wife was unhappy in California.

But he feels like all he ever does is try. He never seems to succeed.

As the chanting ends, Jane opens her eyes and a radiant smile spreads across her face.

Even after five years of marriage and all they've been through, Steve's heart still skips a beat when he sees that smile.

If only it was for him. Her adoring gaze is instead fixed on Kiertaananda.

Jane never smiles at Steve like that. He sighs.

What's the point of getting up at 4 in the morning to chant for hours,

just to end up feeling bitter and resentful? He tells Jane he'll meet her back at the apartment.

...