Hey, I went into this knowing they would dress me however they saw fit, and willing to play along. When you go in with that attitude, you get what you get ... and I got this:
Note the bandana (or what we on the Canadian Prairies used to call a "babuschka") (it's a real word, it's Ukranian, you can check); the shawl (covering my not-so-Potterish Tommy Bahamas golf shirt); and the curious red lightning-bolt-shaped scar on my vast expanse of forehead.
The crystal ball was trippy - when you touch it, blue electrical arc lines shoot out from the centre core to match your fingertips. And you can flip a switch (all switches and cords hidden, of course) to make it voice-sensitive. Might not fool adults every time. But a kid who is willing to suspend disbelief? Oh, for sure.
So I took up my place, and the line formed. Some were younger kids with their mom and dad in tow, some were teenagers, and even young adults. There was a collection of young women - performers in a musical theatre troupe - who came by to experience the amazing insights of the Wise and Powerful Nilbo.
I had an absolute hoot. Turns out, I'm pretty good at this fortune teller stuff.
I've totally figured out how they do it. A kid would sit down and I'd ask them their name, and look them over carefully. Then I'd say "Put your fingertips on the crystal ..."
The kid would do that, and I'd touch the crystal, then snatch my hand away. Then I would cautiously put it back on, clearly concerned about the powerful flow of mind energy she was transferring to me.
"Emily," I would say. "Do you ... have four legs?"
"No," she scoffed.
"But I'm getting ... a powerful message .. four legs .. four legs ... wait .. do you have a pet?
Eyes fly open, quick look to Mom. "Yes ... I do ... !"
"I see that ... it's ... a ... cat ..." (puzzled look) "Or .. no .. it doesn't like cats .. it's ... a dog!"
"Yes!" Now she's in the palm of my hand.
"You feed your dog ... treats. Like ... biscuits, don't you?"
"Yes!" She is clearly amazed that I have been able to divine this information from simply a touch of her hand.
"There are two kinds of bicuits ... red ones .. and .. sort of green ones ..."
"Yes!" (Of course there are ... duh. Milkbones.)
"Well, Emily ... your dog wants me to tell you that ... she prefers the red ones."
A gasp. "Yes! She does!"
And so on. It was absolutely hilarious for me, and I have to say, I left some amazed kids in my wake. There were four girls in their late teens - the musical theatre kids - and one of them was very skeptical.
"I see .. an injury ..." I said. (Well, duh. Dancers are always getting injured. It's a safe bet.)
"No, not really," she said. (OK, missed on that. But she was a teenaged girl. What's a sure bet...?)
"No, not a bodily injury," I said. "This was ... internal ... your heart got broken ..."
Heeheehee. Bingo. All the skepticism gone.
So, OK, I didn't really tell the future. I'm not that kind of visionary. I'm .. a peripheral visionary. I can't see into the future. But I can see really well off to the sides ....
I'm so glad you had fun!
What's going to be neat is how those kids will say, 'I remember when I was a little girl. There was this fortune teller who told me to be a famous writer and give him a small percentage of it...'
You should have used your power for evil!! lol.
kidding.
Glad you enjoyed yourself!
Posted by: kristine | July 17, 2005 at 04:34 PM
You look like the ideal fortuneteller and acted the part so well. In the proper circumstances, messing with kids' minds can be downright fun!
Posted by: MrsDoF | July 17, 2005 at 06:17 PM
That picture made my day.
Posted by: Torrie | July 17, 2005 at 06:37 PM
ahhh, you should go on tour doing this ;)
The pict cracked me up, good one!!!!
Posted by: Laura | July 17, 2005 at 06:57 PM
You could make a bundle working the birthday party/barmitzvah/batmitzvah party scene.
And then you could give me a percentage of said bundle for suggesting it.
Posted by: suburban misfit | July 17, 2005 at 09:21 PM
Sounds like it was great fun. Let me know when you read your book. Finished mine late Saturday.
Posted by: Squirl | July 18, 2005 at 10:48 AM
What fun! You wear a babuschka well.
They say you can make a fortune telling them.
Posted by: marybishop | July 18, 2005 at 10:49 AM
WHOA. That picture is HOT. You are HOT, dude. Seriously, I just might make it my desktop background. ;)
Posted by: kalki | July 18, 2005 at 11:20 AM
You could make a "fortune" at telling fortunes--if I were a little kid, I would have been totally taken...rather gullible little girl I was....maybe still am....
Posted by: Effie | July 18, 2005 at 11:27 AM
Loved the dialogue on this post. What fun, to see those little faces light up. Well done, Nilbo.
Posted by: Amy | July 18, 2005 at 12:01 PM
My grandmother wore those on her head when she cleaned. She's hungarian, and called it the same thing. :-)
Posted by: lawbrat | July 18, 2005 at 12:34 PM
Mr. Nilbo,
Thanks for the great read (again).
Posted by: bill | July 18, 2005 at 01:28 PM
Ahhhh - how sweet. What a good dad. There should be more like you. (I got one, too.)
Posted by: Home Detention Lady | July 18, 2005 at 04:53 PM
I linked you back.
Posted by: Home Detention Lady | July 18, 2005 at 04:54 PM
Gold is realllly your color dahling...
Posted by: laurenbove | July 18, 2005 at 04:58 PM
Your beard is looking pretty foxy, mister.
P.S. Love the new decorations.
P.P.S Stay away from my corn.
Posted by: The Spurious Plum | July 18, 2005 at 11:17 PM
You so totally rock. And you make a very sexy pirate/fortune teller
Posted by: JessicaRabbit | July 19, 2005 at 09:38 AM
The babuschka makes me weak in the knees. And it makes me think of the Kate Bush song "Babooshka" so it's cool on two counts.
Any chance you have photos of you in the babuschka and nothing else?
Posted by: Bucky Four-Eyes | July 19, 2005 at 02:56 PM
Oh, yeah .. the world wants that ...
Posted by: Nils | July 19, 2005 at 10:05 PM
Ha! Sounds like you had fun. And...wait...I'm getting something from you...I see you are a watcher of Mad About You!
Posted by: Ern | July 19, 2005 at 10:52 PM
Hehehe I watch everything, Ern .. and when I hear a good line, I ingest it and spit it out when the situation calls for it.
Posted by: Nils | July 20, 2005 at 10:03 AM
Well, aren't you just the cutest thing ever! I'm sure you were WONDERFUL in the role, and not soon to be forgotten by some wide-eyed children.
Now, tell me, when will my satellite radio stock (SIRI) make me RICH??? I must leave this hellhole called WORK at once!
Posted by: Cranky | July 21, 2005 at 10:35 PM
(Fingertips on the crystal ball) Tess, you are already rich, and deep down, you know it when you snuggle with B. In terms of material wealth, you'll have that and to spare the day you stop working for money and follow your greatest passion.
Go ahead. Tell me that's not dead on.
I really AM good at this.
Posted by: Nils | July 21, 2005 at 11:33 PM
Damn spunky in the fortune tellers garb. I have one of those balls, a little bigger than yours (YES! for once somethings was bigger than Nilbos!) and with the voice activation. I never thought to use it for fortune telling, but it works a treat at mini-raves. well, it did before my neighbours started complaining about the noise. Bastards.
Posted by: song | July 22, 2005 at 01:52 PM
(sigh) I hate it when women have bigger balls than me.
Posted by: Nils | July 22, 2005 at 02:30 PM