25 July 2006

the palms don't lie

I dragged myself to the Rockwell tent two Sundays ago (where I also spent the night before tasting for the first time and falling in love with Retsina). I was there for the "broken time machine" fantasy convention, not to relieve any fantasy but to satisfy a certain curiosity. I heard it being plugged over at K-Lite on my way to work and the promise of holding "elvish weddings" captured my attention. Although of course, there isn't anyone for me to be weded with, is there?

So I was there taking long drags from my cigarette. I was with Larry who had already fulfilled his purpose for this trip--we just came from Fully Booked where he basqued in the glory of being surronded by books. So we stepped into the tent and did not find the elvish wedding booth. (Make no mistake, though. I aplaud thosle who put up the convention. There were those who even came in full regalia and truly, seeing asian elves and brown-skinned Hogwarts students was a delight. I was sorted into Ravenclaw which I resented. "I will not play a supporting character! I'm not even intelligent! Put me in Slytherin damnit," I protested.)

Well, to make a long story short, we chanced upon a fortune telling booth and decided to go with it. What was a hundred bucks anyway? Now, there was a cue which they remedied by having three fortune tellers. But I had my eyes set on a certain sear--his table spread was the best among the three and his showmanship amazed me. (Imagine a bald, thin man with a brass pestle which he pounded with a shiny mortar in between his readings.) Before I could even stand up, a girl sat in front of my chosen sear. I was about to slap her off the seat when thank goodness the folks at the Pinoy Charmed gracefully got rid of her.

This wasn't the first time I had my fortune told. Just as always, after telling me how I myself am a psychic of some sort, he went directly to the part that every fortune teller in town seems to think is most important to me: finances. He insisted that this year is my year as far as earning is concerned. Which merited a smirk from me, because truly, I am being paid peanuts. As Hans so eloquently put it, "you are paying just to work there." Which is true. What I receive is not enough to support the expenses of getting myself through work--meaning getting myself to and from the office and eating for survival's sake. So yes, I spend just to work. Not that I have a problem with this, but to tell me that this year is my year?! C'mon, I'd like to think that I can do better than this.

So The Great Fortune Teller and I had a discussion about this and he concluded that what I was saying was simply unacceptable for according to my birth year and birth month, 2006 should see the pinnacle of my monetary cycle. Since it was already the middle of the year, I should be already experiencing a momentum.

He grabbed my other hand.

"Yes, you earn money. But this other palm clearly shows how you spend it right away, making it seem as if you don't earn anything." I found that I hadn't the audacity to disagree. He looked at my face. I sensed him pay close attantion to me as I brushed some hair against my ear. "I know what you are doing. You spend so much because you're trying to buy your happiness. ...Don't worry, he will come very soon..."

posted by carl at 5:05 PM
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