The Psychic

I tried not to laugh when Barbara explained where we were going. It was a small apartment in Central Square. The gypsy women recognized Barbara, they chatted like old friends. The woman had time to do my reading after, she laid out the structure of Barbara's week. I had my doubts, but Barbara came out of her reading more focused, she knew her goals and expectation. The psychic seemed to fill the role of therapist that played a part in many of my friends' lives.

The woman sensed that I was a little lost. I did not know my goals and had recently given up on some of my dreams. I wondered if Barbara had told her, but then I realized that I had not informed Barbara. At the end of the session, she told me that something that would change my life would come in the mail. I choked such a specific prediction. If it didn't happen there would be no way to escape the fact that she was wrong. I wondered if when I left she would put something in the mail, but she did not have my address.

Three days later life had gone back to normal, and I had quit searching through my mail. Thursday was warm weather, so I decided to sit on the porch. Barbara came and joined me, she was talking about her new boyfriend. when all of a sudden she gasped and pointed at the sky. A bird-like machine was heading toward our house. It was transporting a huge box. Moments later the package fell at my feet. I thought of the gypsy woman. The box was addressed to me. I laughed, well I guess this is modern-day mail. There was no return address. Who would have sent this mysterious box? We both stood there gazing at the package.

The box was huge. I timidly opened it. What could change my life? There were four envelopes and two medium size boxes. One envelope had a card with six hundred dollars to go towards an air flight to Mexico. I choked, I felt numb. The second card had a gift card for Airbnb. The third envelope had five memory cards for a camera. The last envelope had CVS gift cards. I sat in awe. Barbara was franticly looking for a card. "You know the fortune teller, said I would get something in the mail" Barbara replied, " I know she did not send you this, they can barely pay their rent." "Barbara how did she know" Both of us were numb.

Barbara finally reached for one of the two boxes and handed it to me. It contained books for storing photos. On the last page of one book was an explanation of sorts. I had won one of the many photo contests I had entered. They had included a copy of the winning photo. I remembered the photo from the Dixie Classic fair, but I did not remember the contest. The last box had a digital camera and a charger.

I broke the silence. "I want you to go with me. " She giggled, We gave each other a hug. I returned to the psychic with Barbara, this time with a little more respect. Barbara and I couldn't wait to tell her about the mysterious package in the mail, which was going to drastically change both of our lives. We both kept hugging the poor lady. She forecast a safe flight and told us to double- check to see if two tickets were paid for instead of just one. She also told us places to go in Mexico