It was advertised that this particular fortune teller would be coming to the fair.
She was so excited. This was her opportunity to see what the world could offer a young woman with big aspirations. She always felt that she was going to the top of whatever she did. Despite her high level of self-confidence, she saw this as a way of confirming her feelings. She soon found the tent and read the sign. A thrill ran through her as she read the name. It showed that one of the most famous seers in the world had actually come to the fairground and pitched her tent. She was in great demand, with lots of articles on the Web, all singing her praises and her accuracy.
The sign hanging on the flap said, ‘Next’. She entered and sat down at the table. Almost instantly the old fortune-teller appeared. With a beaming smile she sat opposite. The young woman handed the required fee over, a roll of banknotes held by a rubber band, several months’ worth of hard savings.
The seer opened a box and dropped it in.
For the best part of half an hour several packs of cards were used to gradually cover the table. There was a great deal of pack cutting, counting, selecting and turning over of cards involved. Finally, when all had been dealt, the old seer stared at the complex pattern of selected cards. She was nodding as she was reading them. Her head suddenly stopped and she looked up with a look of terror. Her hand went to her heart and her eyes closed. She remained like that for a few beats.
Then, with trembling hands she opened the money box and retrieved the roll of notes. These she placed on the table in front of the girl. She got up quickly and without a word disappeared behind the curtain.