“Seth material” search engine (Jane Roberts)

(Tracing of the front and back of the AAA membership card used as the object in the 39th envelope experiment, in the 240th session for March 9,1966.)

(The 39th envelope experiment was held during the session; see the tracing of the AAA membership card used as the object on page 1. Some interesting and hilarious results were obtained in the connections made by Seth/Jane.

(See the tracing of the envelope object on page 1. As stated it is a membership card in the AAA, purchased by me on August 14,1964, and good for one year. It is printed entirely in dark blue ink on glossy white heavy paper. The exception is the large AAA seal affixed by hand beneath my typed address; this is in black, embossed on foil. The back of the card is covered by fine print, giving detailed instructions re the procedure after an accident, etc., calling Western Union, bail bond procedure, etc.

(“A connection with the letter M”, referred, I thought, to the initials, MCI, which are used to designate the modern new office building here in Elmira, at which I bought my membership in the AAA. Later note by RFB: Signed by Merrill. Note on the object that the address of this new building was added later to the card, beneath the old address which was blocked out. This building was barely in operation at the time I joined AAA, in August 1964; the top floors were not yet finished.

(“and with an occasion in which something was not appreciated.” This at once reminded me of a most definite event, involving Jane and me, that was not appreciated. It took place at the same time I purchased membership in AAA, and the locale of this unappreciated event was a gasoline station directly across the street from the MCI building. Our car was the subject, and this material is well covered in the notes in the 81st session for August 26,1964. See Volume 2.

(I bought the membership in AAA on Friday, August 14,1964, at about 1 PM. We were both on vacation beginning that day, and were due to leave for York Beach, Maine, the next day, Saturday, August 15. Jane and I drove downtown Friday. Jane had a couple of hours work to finish at the art gallery where she then worked. I dropped her off there, then left the car at the station in question for an oil filter change and a general checkup. I went across the street to the MCI building, joined AAA, then walked home. I was due to return to the station for the car at 5 PM that same day. I would pick up Jane and we would be free.

(“Connection with an error.” An error is prominent here. When I filled out my application for the insurance policy that went with the AAA membership, I inadvertently made a mistake in my license number. I did not discover this until I returned home, so when I went back downtown to pick up the car at the station, I dropped in at the MCI building to the AAA office. I was told the mistake did not matter.

(“Connection with music”, reminds me that I heard music while in the AAA office; the music was piped throughout the new building by a public address system. Jane and I are well aware of this because a friend of ours worked in another office in the MCI building, and remarked often on this piped music, which she disliked but was forced to listen to all day on the job. In addition, the AAA office was below ground level and without windows, and my personal opinion was that the music was some kind of compensation for not being able to see daylight.

(“and with an ace.” Jane said this is a personal derivation of hers from the prominent black seal of the AAA, affixed to the bottom of the card, below my name, as described. Another interpretation of this seal follows later.

(“With a pole. Ruburt thinks of telephone pole, this leading him to a connection with a telephone pole.” On the back of the envelope object shown on page 1, there are many references to using the telephone, in the detailed instructions given by the AAA as to procedures after involvement in an auto accident. Many of the instructions have to do with using the telephone, Western Union, etc., as indicated on the card itself.

(“A sun shape, or yellow in the upper right hand corner. Perhaps like rays.” See the bottom of page 9. Jane said this is another reference to the heavy, glossy, or shiny black AAA seal affixed to the membership card below my name. To her, the design of the three A’s can represent the conventional lines of radiation around a circle, or sun, shape. She often used this symbolism in her own oil painting, thus:

(“The number 12, and perhaps 3 with this. December, I do not know.” My membership in AAA was good for twelve months, which could have led Seth to the December, or twelfth month, data, but we are not sure here. Nor do we come up with anything for the number 3.

(“and something to do with grace”, Jane burst out laughing when she made a connection here. At first we thought her idea did not apply, but then she felt it did, and Seth agrees. Note that on the AAA membership card the old address was blocked out. This was done with thin ink and we could read the old address, 382 W. Church Street. Jane at once made the connection between church and grace.

(More, the new MCI building is but a couple of blocks from the old AAA location; the new address is on the corner of College Avenue and Church Street. And the Grace Episcopal Church is two blocks up Church Street.

(“and an appointment.” As noted in the car data on pages 8 and 9, I had an appointment to pick up the car at the service station at 5 PM Friday, August 14,1964, the same day I bought membership in AAA. The station was located across the street from the AAA office, and the car was at the station while I was in the AAA office.