Psychic Babble

I met a psychic on the street once. I was waiting for the next bus to take me out of the cold, not actually knowing where I was going. My mom had just given me an ultimatum and I took the choice to leave. It was the middle of October in Northern Saskatchewan. It hadn’t started snowing yet, but the air was bitterly crisp. I could see my breath and my jacket wasn’t exactly made for Canadian winters. I figured I’d hop on the first bus that came so I could at least gain some composure in some warmth, and use my phone without gloves. When the woman who called herself Arla arrived, all I could think about was getting warm.

I didn’t want to talk to her so I pretended I didn’t hear her, and at first I wouldn’t look her way. She was a bit older, maybe in her 60’s, had long grey/blonde frizzy hair, dark brown eyes, and was wearing a big navy jacket that went down to her knees. It was an ugly jacket, but I was still jealous of it. I was chilled to my bones and completely miserable. She was light and cheery, and was trying to talk to me as if we were acquainted.

She looked me up and down and teased “typical Cancer, in a mood.” I was both offended and shocked. I wrote it off as coincidence. Anyone can guess someone’s zodiac sign and have a 1 in 12 chance of getting it right – not terrible odds if you think about it.

Transit in my hometown is awful, often busses will only come once an hour in the evenings depending on where you are. I was getting impatient and my skin was tingling and to make matters worse I was stuck in the bus shelter with someone who wanted to be chatty. She was right, I was in a mood, but it wasn’t because I’m a cancer, it was because my life was a mess. I had just found out my boyfriend was cheating and broke up with him. My best friend moved away, I lost my license from a DUI, failed high school, and my mom kicked me out. I had no one to help, and no where to go.

And somehow this strange woman who I had just met seemed to know all this. She had a smirk on her face right from the moment she walked into the bus shelter, and it didn’t leave her even when she was speaking in the most serious of tones. I never believed in psychics and always took zodiacs with a grain of salt, but Arla made me question if there might be something I’ve been missing about this whole birth chart thing, and maybe I should pay more attention to my ruling planet – the moon.

They say cancers are the nurturers, focused on a stable home life, and caring about the people they love. Sensitivity and moodiness always being the focus of descriptions of those ruled by the moon. Also as ones with a tendency to withdraw from others, and lash out when hurt. Female cancers are supposedly ultra femme. I didn’t relate to any of it. The only thing in my zodiac I related to was the element of water. I had always loved swimming. I finished swimming lessons at an early age and begged for competitive classes, but there was never enough money after feeding 5 kids on a single income. Thankfully there were programs to help with the basic lessons, but it turns out potential can only be met when there’s enough money for it.

When I finally turned my gaze to this stranger beside me, she didn’t seem so strange after all. There was something about her that felt familiar, and it was as if her eyes could see right through to my soul.

“I’m sorry, have we met?” I finally asked.

She smiled that sly smile. “Don’t you remember me? We’ve met before, but not like how you think”

Then a rush of emotions went over my body. I was chilled before, but this was a spooked kind of chill. I did remember her. I’ve seen her before, but not awake. I had seen her in my dreams. And in my dream, I had been standing in a bus stop, and I had met her in the shelter, and we were standing together exactly how we were now.

My eyes widened and she began speaking her psychic babble…

“Don’t turn your back on your nature, just because the nature of the world is cruel. A lost Cancer is a lost gift to the universe, if you can’t mend the bonds you have of those you hold so dear, then what hope do any of us have for love on this earth. And after all, isn’t it love what we all live for?”

I was speechless.

She took a moment and looked up at the sky. “Full moon tonight. You must be careful when there’s a full moon. Might I suggest that you don’t get on the next bus? It’s my route, but you’re not supposed to be on it.”

This time I replied “I don’t have anywhere else to go. I just need to get somewhere warm.”

She smiled again. “Think again moon child. Perhaps you can go back to where you came from? Hmm?” she asked, but it was a question she already knew the answer to.

Back to my mothers house. She was actually right, it was an option. I looked down at my feet and contemplated the conversation I would have to deal with if I did go back. I started to warm up to the idea, but mostly just because I was so cold. And even if I got on that bus, I didn’t know where I would go after that. This whole idea started to seem ridiculously dumb.

Then in the distance of the street was a bus.

“Well, what will you do now?” those were her last words before the bus pulled up and she got on. I stood there feeling paralyzed about the decision. If I got on, I would be warm in that moment, but I’d have to figure something out from there. Or I could trek back and ask forgiveness from my mom. I could go home.

I stood there in indecision long enough that the bus drove away. Decision made.

I quickly started walking, almost running to get there faster. 3 blocks away. Then home at last and all the lights were out. She must have gone to bed. I frantically started knocking and ringing the doorbell. So cold.

She opened the door and let me in. I was shaking uncontrollably and she wrapped me in the blanket that she came to the door with and hugged me. She had been crying, I could tell. Perhaps I hurt her more than I thought.

“We’ll talk tomorrow. I have work in the morning.” She went upstairs and left me on the couch. What an intense relief to be warm. Still dreading the conversation to be had, there weren't much for other options.

When I woke up the next day the TV was already on. We only had the free channels so the news was always the most entertaining thing to watch. I would leave it on that endless loop just for some background noise while I played candy crush on my phone or scrolled through an endless feed on social.

Something caught my attention…

A bus crash left 3 dead: The driver, a man in his 40’s, Father and husband. A 16 year old highschool kid, and an unidentified woman in her 60’s.

Bus route 7 heading East had collided with a train.

I remember the crash, I saw it happen once before, only I wasn’t awake for it. I wasn’t sure what this all meant for me. I was sure I wasn’t psychic, and even if I was, what good is a premonition if you don’t pull it together until after it happens?

One thing I do know is that whoever that woman was, she saved my life. And for the rest of time, I will always take note when there is a full moon. As for following my nature, I’m working on it. Without balance, I lash out. That may be just a human thing, but it can be fun to attribute it to the stars, and who knows, maybe there’s something to it after all.