Do you remember these? I think we used to call them fortune tellers at school. It’s quite amazing the massive gust of memory that arrives simply by putting your fingers inside and doing that forwards, sideways movement, as natural it turns out, as breathing!
William brought this home from school on his last day of term – they had had some time with their buddies (children in a higher year) – and, since balls aren’t allowed in the classroom I think the girls had called the shots, go girls! William has to limit Sam and Edward to three goes each now or it could go on all day. A replacement is already under construction.
The predictions/promises inside when I first knew these were very different, ranging from the one with (almost) immediate gratification ‘you’ll sit next to Ben … at meeting on Sunday (The Mount), to the slightly more hopeful and forward thinking ‘you’ll marry James ….’ (St Mary’s), to the quite frankly ridiculous ‘you’ll fall in love with Rob Lowe/Emilio Estevez/Andrew McCarthy (insert name of Brat Pack member) and get married etc etc. But, however childish and silly, fundamentally what they contained was hope, a belief in the world and in the future that can become dull and diminished through time.
I think this is one of the absolute most wonderful things about having children if you allow it to be – polishing up that belief, turning your face to the sun and looking the future in the eye. There is so much bitterness and cynicism in the world, and often with good reason. It’s bloody hard to keep the faith when everyone around is succeeding when you are not, or life deals you a bum hand again. I’m not into politics at all but, whichever side someone is on, at the very least they are moving forwards, engaging and coming up with ideas (even if they are daft and completely impossible – actually they’re the ones I like the best!). So many of us display what could be called a restless passivity, flitting hither and thither in our minds yet remaining stationary in life. It’s a little early for New Year resolutions so an October one from me – I’ll be having some faith, making some plans, dreaming of sitting next to….
These are the predictions/promises inside William’s fortune teller:
1. Block of chocolate
2. You are in lolly (sweetie) world
3. Happy day
4. Happy day (can’t have too many of those, I agree)
5. Find a pot of gold
6. You are a lucky person
7. Fare and square (he describes this as life being like a game you play fair and square – I think he means play by the rules, good one)
8. You get 7000 eggs (I’m hoping these are chocolate eggs otherwise we could be in trouble, OCD, addiction…)
These are the predictions/promises in my imaginary fortune teller – as inspired by William’s:
1. Have a glass of wine
2. You are in a peaceful world
3. Happy day
4. Happy day (another glass of wine)
5. End poverty
6. You are a lucky person (don’t ever forget it!)
7. Play more games (like Uno and rummy)
8. Have the rest of the bottle
What are your memories of fortune tellers? What predictions or promises would you put in yours?