She wore a beautiful bright red saree, slightly worse for wear, but lovely all the same. A bundle of books under her arm and an assortment of neck and finger ornaments completed her look. There was a shrewdness in her eyes and those piercing, investigative eyes first drew my attention. Nothing seemed to escape her gaze. She had already assessed me and made up her mind even before she approached me.
She took in my flushed face and blood-shot eyes and told me reassuringly - In the name of Goddess, I shall only tell you the truth. Let me read your face and if you like it, let me read your hand and tell you your future. I just smiled and told her I wasn't interested, but she persisted. My mother walked up behind me and put her arms around me and tried to get me to walk on, but this lady stopped her as well. She told my mum too the same thing she had told me and on a whim I decided to indulge her.
Now that she had our attention, she began her usual act. This was familiar ground and she knew that getting the attention was the hard part - the rest she knew how to handle. She reassuringly put a hand on my arm and told me not to worry. She understands the reason behind my tears and told me God was listening. She told me that she saw great things in my future...marriage to a good man, three kids with my first born being a boy, that I would live like a queen in a big house with all material comforts...etc...etc. My mum and I exchanged glances. I took out Rs 10 from my purse and put it in her hand. She protested and told me this is not enough for all the good things she had predicted...
All that drivel did bring a smile to me face. I looked her for one long minute and just walked away from her. She caught hold of my mum and told her that she would have to pay her for all the nice things that she had told us about me.
So I asked her in all seriousness - So chechi(a respectable way to address any woman elder than you) when do you think this marriage will take place? She smiled her all knowing smile and told me - For that you will need to pay more ... Rs 100 at least... I know you are anxious to know. I am - said I - because I need to inform my husband about this wealthy man who is going to marry me, just to give him a head's up! After all he put up with me for 4years, I owe him that much, don't you think!
The lady had taken in my non-thali(symbol for married Hindu women) clad neck, no vermilion in my hair, the age I looked and my tear stained face and decided that I was an unmarried woman getting on in age and upset about it. Although she had predicted perfectly, she was just 4years too late. Probably didn't think that I could be a person who cried for no reason in temples and wasn't really upset about anything in particular.
Aren't a majority of us like this - quick to judge and come to conclusions because we take things at face value.
She took in my flushed face and blood-shot eyes and told me reassuringly - In the name of Goddess, I shall only tell you the truth. Let me read your face and if you like it, let me read your hand and tell you your future. I just smiled and told her I wasn't interested, but she persisted. My mother walked up behind me and put her arms around me and tried to get me to walk on, but this lady stopped her as well. She told my mum too the same thing she had told me and on a whim I decided to indulge her.
Now that she had our attention, she began her usual act. This was familiar ground and she knew that getting the attention was the hard part - the rest she knew how to handle. She reassuringly put a hand on my arm and told me not to worry. She understands the reason behind my tears and told me God was listening. She told me that she saw great things in my future...marriage to a good man, three kids with my first born being a boy, that I would live like a queen in a big house with all material comforts...etc...etc. My mum and I exchanged glances. I took out Rs 10 from my purse and put it in her hand. She protested and told me this is not enough for all the good things she had predicted...
All that drivel did bring a smile to me face. I looked her for one long minute and just walked away from her. She caught hold of my mum and told her that she would have to pay her for all the nice things that she had told us about me.
So I asked her in all seriousness - So chechi(a respectable way to address any woman elder than you) when do you think this marriage will take place? She smiled her all knowing smile and told me - For that you will need to pay more ... Rs 100 at least... I know you are anxious to know. I am - said I - because I need to inform my husband about this wealthy man who is going to marry me, just to give him a head's up! After all he put up with me for 4years, I owe him that much, don't you think!
The lady had taken in my non-thali(symbol for married Hindu women) clad neck, no vermilion in my hair, the age I looked and my tear stained face and decided that I was an unmarried woman getting on in age and upset about it. Although she had predicted perfectly, she was just 4years too late. Probably didn't think that I could be a person who cried for no reason in temples and wasn't really upset about anything in particular.
Aren't a majority of us like this - quick to judge and come to conclusions because we take things at face value.
