Being paid for advice nobody follows, and abundance without effort

Frederic remarks that although he tells people at work what to do, they do not listen - and he no longer cares.

The Wonders point out that they still pay him, comparing it to the people who trudge up the mountain to ask Muhammad what to do, are told to choose, and never do; the difference is that Frederic's petitioners pay him in food or coin as thanks for his perspectives, and whether they use them is up to them.

They call him the epitome of a consultant: someone who gives advice that is never followed yet is paid handsomely for it.

Frederic recalls a project manager saying the best project is the cancelled one, since nobody can blame you and you were paid anyway.

He mentions reposting an old French text and that he is locked out of the account used to publish his books, which even Amazon cannot restore - which he decides simply to forget.

The Wonders say he is still trying to be like everybody else, feeling he must make money at what he does while being amazed that he makes money doing nothing; instead he should stop measuring himself against others and enjoy that the universe gives him abundance without effort.

They tell a story of a man at a crossroads who sits down to ponder which way to go; passersby, seeing him, give him food, an umbrella, clothing, and he realizes the more he ponders the more he receives.

Decades later someone asks why he still has not chosen; he answers that he has food, clothing and comfort.

Told he at least needs a razor, another traveler immediately hands him one - whereupon the questioner says 'move over, I'm going to ponder with you'.

The Wonders say this is him: sitting at a crossroads, receiving abundance, being paid, and unlike others, not worrying about it.

Asked whether they know where this is heading, they say they see probabilities within probabilities, and that it does not matter what he chooses - only that he chooses.