The plane is noisy, crowded. The flight is full. They’ve done the beverage service and they’ll be coming down the aisle soon with the food cart. In front of you a businessman has flipped open his laptop, is typing away furiously, probably on his email. Across the aisle a kid is watching a movie on the digiplayer, headphones plugged in, slouching.
You were hoping for a seat with no one next to you, you only want to relax and forget what has happened in the past 48 hours, but instead you are seated next to a modern-day gypsy. She pulled down the tray table and laid out tarot cards as soon as the plane leveled off. As much as you tried not to look, you couldn’t help but notice the exotic illustrations on the cards.
She turns to you. Her hair is bright red, she has piercings on her nose and eyebrows, and a long snake tattoo winds around her neck.
The Tower. Death. The Ten of Swords.
You wonder what they mean.
“Bad cards,” she says. Her voice is light, lyrical. She sweeps them up, shuffles again. Suddenly she pockets them, flips up the tray table.
“Read your palm?” she asks.
You nod. She takes your hand, runs her fingers over the lines on your palm.
She says, “This is better. Long life line, no worries there.” She frowns. “Heart line broken, that’s a shame.” She brightens. “But love is on the horizon again.”
The director shouts, “Cut!” and that’s a wrap.
You relax, try to remember your lines for the next scene. The star, sitting next to you, is immediately surrounded by her people.
That’s show business.
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/daily-prompt-hands/
Reblogged this on Theresa Barker – Lab Notes and commented:
Hello everyone! My fellow blogger kiwinana – Elsie Hagley – of “Ramblings of a Writer” blog, recently re-posted her very first blog post. kiwinana inspired me to go back and look at my own first blog post. And here is it.
Back then (Aug. 12, 2013) I had almost no followers and I was a newbie to blogging. I’ve learned so much from reading other blogs. Thank you to all my fellow writer-bloggers for generously sharing your expertise and your insights.
What was your first blog post?
#myfirstblogpost
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I’m struggling to find the words for my comment – unusual because I typically have too many words. I am so so sorry for your loss, I cannot even pretend to know the pain that you went through/go through – my heart and my mind cannot conceive how incomprehensibly difficult that must have been/is – I admire your strength and courage. The ‘gypsy’ in me knows the meaning in those cards, the intuitive side of my tarot knowledge tells me there is more in this story. I have so many questions, far too many for a public blog comment. Thank you – thank you so much for sharing this. 🙂
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Oh, Tami. It is hard. This June will be 3 years since his death. I love that you tuned into the tarot cards from that first blog post. More to say, but I’m still thinking and processing it all. Thank you so much – your words mean more than you know.
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I wish that there was a hug button and not just a like button. Consider that ‘like’ to be a virtual hug. 🙂
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I will take that hug! Thank you!
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Hi Theresa, I love this story. I’m glad you re-blogged it. We never think of going back to see our fellow bloggers’ first posts.
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I know! You are so right! It was odd to think I started the blog in 2013. It feels good to express yourself over that long a period and to have such a supportive (blogging) community. I am fortunate!
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And there are many more wonderful years ahead… even better years. 🙂
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❤️
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Good idea to reblog old posts but funny that I should land up on this page today. Apparently you posted this in March. But anyway I loved the matter of fact narration and how in real life also people ask comment and move on. As if an invisible person calls Cut.
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Hah! That is so fun. “Cut!” and then move on. You’re right! Thanks, Dahlia! 🙂
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