Coales' Notes: Salvation's urgent message

TUESDAY. Very strongly positive feelings again. I have just composed a speech in favour of the works of Shakespeare, which I believe every schoolchild should learn by heart.

And it's not even that I particularly want to have this powerful, though of course very joyful, sense of mission. I want to say: surely it could be down to someone else to undertake the reconstruction of the arts in Britain. But the significance of the breakthrough event of the morning of 13 January is with every day becoming clearer. I am at this point to work through the channels available to me.

I happened to receive a phone call from Rory today, wondering if they could expect me back at work at all. I told him his comments had been noted. I then rang Di and told her not to worry about anything now. I had decided I would be present at her meeting with the brand manager from Schlacht beer after all. I added that the feeling was very positive.

She replied: 'Don't take this wrong, but I wonder if it's such a great idea that you come along at this stage. This is quite a crucial meeting. I am quite tense. I don't want you saying anything strange to him - you know, in your current state.'

I said she could put her mind at rest. This was not about me. It was not about her. It was simply about something that was happening. Let there be art. She said: 'Gordon. Please don't come.'

THURSDAY. I arrived late at the restaurant. She introduced me to Bop Hartmann. They both looked grim. She passed me a note written on her napkin. 'This is not going so well. Please say absolutely nothing.'

Almost at once I began to be aware of powerful feeling of strength and positiveness which I tried to focus on to Bop. I found I was able to do this most effectively by staring at his head from very close range. He was soon unable to resist the energies, and turned to me.

I said to him - well, Bop - this was a very positive moment and, on behalf of all the arts, might I welcome him on to the great adventure of arts sponsorship. He replied: 'Well, yes, it is a very positive moment, Gordon. And we at Schlacht are very positive about our push into the British market, I hope.' I told him that no one could be more positive than I about the fact that Schlacht beer was, from the very start, going to be a part of this great movement that was just beginning. Let there be art. Di went to the loo.

Bop said: 'Yes, this is good. I am positive. You are positive. But your colleague I feel is not so positive, right?' I focused more strongly upon him. Afterwards Di said to me: 'You seem to have struck a chord, or something.' I told her, good Bop is a friend. I then went round to Ars Longa.

The office was deserted apart from Suzi. They had all gone out to a launch, she said. I told her I had a very important communication that I wanted her to photocopy as many times as was necessary, and then to send out to everyone, and I meant everyone, on our mailing list.

What I have written is this:

'Dear Individual involved with the Arts, I am writing especially to you. I am sure you will interested to learn that, during a two-hour period on 13 January, a mission of vital importance to the future of the arts was entrusted to the man perhaps already known to you as Gordon Coales.

'As a result, the complete transformation of our culture is underway, and there is nothing more urgent for you - I would very strongly suggest - than to listen to his message.'

And the passage that follows was so powerfully eloquent that the idea of writing it out a second time is a little frightening.