by J H S B

Created on: January 27, 2010   Last Updated: September 03, 2011

The fortune teller

“Excuse me,” one should really petition against you Gypsies stopping people here in town. Ruth said prickly; her face almost turning the colour of her frizzy red hair, with contempt.

She attempted to first ignore and pass the Big untidy Gypsy lady who so unexpectedly stopped her.

“Madam your life is in danger,” the Gypsy lady insisted; enough to bring Ruth to a sudden jolt.

Does this woman really know something about her present life?

“Please come inside,” it won't take long. The Gypsy's fortune teller took Ruth gently by the hand and led her into a small candle lit booth on the sidewalk and closed the dirty curtain, used as the entry door.

“Please sit down Madam,” she pulled an old bar stool up for Ruth to sit on.

Ruth glanced at the alarm clock on the round table, dumped some loose change into a badly chipped bowl and said, “ you better be quick,” I have fifteen minutes left to catch the next B34 Bus on the corner and have a very strict boss.

If only this woman knew in what turmoil Ruth's life really was; Paul having to go to Afghanistan; the uncertainty, constant worry daily taking it's toll. Also the fact that the neighbours are from Afghanistan never bothered her before. Well; at least, not until now...

Then there's little Charlie, Daddy's boy; may all this happening to her today be fate; could it be all about Charlie, this Gypsy fortune teller is on about.

Ruth gives a little quiver suddenly realising that she should have never let Charlie give evidence in court against the child who done the fatal stabbings at school.

Will he be coming back for her this time, is that what all this is about?

Then again it may just as well be Estelle; come to think of it, if she Ruth, never told Paul about his sister Estelle having an affair at work, he would in turn not have tipped her husband off and they may very well still have been happily married; adultery and all.

“You life is in danger.” The woman's words kept triggering new thoughts in Ruth's conscience; not hearing most of what she had to say throughout the sitting until now; looking at the woman in front of her, Ruth's green eyes widened..

The gypsy woman at the table stared profoundly into her crystal ball, then suddenly threw her arms in the air and with what looked to Ruth like froth coming from the woman's mouth; shouting.” It's happened now! It's happened now! oh No!...  It's happened!”

At the very same moment the sound of police and ambulance's sirens filled the surrounding area.

Ruth looked at the clock on the table; It stopped and was still exactly on the same time she sat down for her reading with the fortune teller; and by now well over fifteen minutes ago.

Outside in the streets total turmoil and confusion

The Number B34 Bus's remnants laid scattered all over the streets; blown up to bits, five minutes ago.

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