LJ Idol Week 4: “I don't skate to where the puck is. I skate to where the puck is going to be."
Lady Esme's tent housed a romantic glow, too dim to illuminate the dirt and just bright enough to warm primary colors into deep, mysterious hues. Most naturally fell prey to the illusion, not noticing the light bulbs burned or flickering and choosing instead the comfort belly-feels of imagined candlelight.
It was shortly after seven in the evening, just entering prime carnival hours. The day was filled with elderly folks seeking passive entertainment; rarely did they hold the desire for future predictions, as looking backward proved more rewarding than forward at later stages. Once the stars were out, so was the younger crowd--and they were much more inclined toward curiosity about what was to come.
A young girl sat before Lady Esme, twiddling fingers that fiddled with her hair, her plaid skirt, her lips. She was wearing a class ring and introduced herself as Beth. Lady Esme had taken Beth's hand for shaking and shot the most discreet of glances at the date on her ring--this coming spring's graduating class.
"Hello, Miss Beth," she had bowed. Before Beth could respond, Lady Esme had cut her off with a wave of the hand. "You are expecting big changes in the next months. Let me show you what you can expect."
Beth was immersed fully in her reading of the Tarot, nodding in earnest each time Lady Esme hit a nail on its head with her interpretations. The next card flipped brought a slight gasp to Beth's lips: The Hanged Man. Lady Esme glanced at her watch. Ten minutes remained in the session if she wanted her full pay. She couldn't afford to frighten her away.
"Don't worry. The Hanged Man is very good, very promising." Lady Esme grazed the card with her fingertips. "He's all about perspective. A change of perspective is often the best choice. You can go from falling to flying with one simple flip." On the final word, she spun the card from top to bottom.
The transition from now to memory was instantaneous. Lady Esme's mother left her with two important lessons: The reading of the Tarot and an understanding that the true moments of clairvoyance were very rare, and very unforgettable. Most of those moments were realized sooner or later, but a few were yet to be seen. One of those moments had frightened Lady Esme the most. It happened when she was fifteen, and it began with a spinning Hanged Man and stopped on a thought riddled with repetition: "I will die. I will die."
First, the Hanged Man spinning. This took on a pulsing rhythm and faded into a flicking light bulb. Then, a fabric swatch of plaid, a clock reading 7:37, and a top hat with a hole worn in the corner. A man appeared, impossibly tall with a grimace of a grin. One hand slammed on the table, the other gripping his cane. Next came the strike as the cane met the back of her head with dull, ringing intent. And there was the thought: "I will die."
Lady Esme blinked, eyes fixed on Beth's plaid skirt. Blue with yellow, just right. The spinning Hanged Man. She looked at her watch just as the time turned 7:32. Five minutes. Without hesitation, Lady Esme doubled over, arms wrapped tight around her stomach, groaning in pain.
"Ma'am? Are you alright?" Beth placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let me help you."
"Oh no," Lady Esme shook her off. "I've not been well. Please, let me see you out. I won't charge you for the reading." She shooed Beth out, moaning all the way. Flip the lights, grab the cards, and out she'd be. Lady Esme ducked out and fastened the sign reading "closed" across the flap of her tent. She made it to the hot dog stand with three minutes to spare.
Tucked safely behind her neighbor's wooden beam, Lady Esme devoured her chili dog, wiping her mouth fervently as she watched an impossibly tall figure approach her tent. He bent, weight pressed on his cane, to read the sign. When he stood. he let out a hearty chuckle and fingered the worn edge of his hat. With a tip of the hat toward the tent, the man disappeared back into the crowd.
...
This was an entry for the fourth week of LJ Idol, for the topic "I don't skate to where the puck is. I skate to where the puck is going to be." If you'd like to read other entries and vote, I'd be very thankful! You can do so here: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/966583.html
It was shortly after seven in the evening, just entering prime carnival hours. The day was filled with elderly folks seeking passive entertainment; rarely did they hold the desire for future predictions, as looking backward proved more rewarding than forward at later stages. Once the stars were out, so was the younger crowd--and they were much more inclined toward curiosity about what was to come.
A young girl sat before Lady Esme, twiddling fingers that fiddled with her hair, her plaid skirt, her lips. She was wearing a class ring and introduced herself as Beth. Lady Esme had taken Beth's hand for shaking and shot the most discreet of glances at the date on her ring--this coming spring's graduating class.
"Hello, Miss Beth," she had bowed. Before Beth could respond, Lady Esme had cut her off with a wave of the hand. "You are expecting big changes in the next months. Let me show you what you can expect."
Beth was immersed fully in her reading of the Tarot, nodding in earnest each time Lady Esme hit a nail on its head with her interpretations. The next card flipped brought a slight gasp to Beth's lips: The Hanged Man. Lady Esme glanced at her watch. Ten minutes remained in the session if she wanted her full pay. She couldn't afford to frighten her away.
"Don't worry. The Hanged Man is very good, very promising." Lady Esme grazed the card with her fingertips. "He's all about perspective. A change of perspective is often the best choice. You can go from falling to flying with one simple flip." On the final word, she spun the card from top to bottom.
The transition from now to memory was instantaneous. Lady Esme's mother left her with two important lessons: The reading of the Tarot and an understanding that the true moments of clairvoyance were very rare, and very unforgettable. Most of those moments were realized sooner or later, but a few were yet to be seen. One of those moments had frightened Lady Esme the most. It happened when she was fifteen, and it began with a spinning Hanged Man and stopped on a thought riddled with repetition: "I will die. I will die."
First, the Hanged Man spinning. This took on a pulsing rhythm and faded into a flicking light bulb. Then, a fabric swatch of plaid, a clock reading 7:37, and a top hat with a hole worn in the corner. A man appeared, impossibly tall with a grimace of a grin. One hand slammed on the table, the other gripping his cane. Next came the strike as the cane met the back of her head with dull, ringing intent. And there was the thought: "I will die."
Lady Esme blinked, eyes fixed on Beth's plaid skirt. Blue with yellow, just right. The spinning Hanged Man. She looked at her watch just as the time turned 7:32. Five minutes. Without hesitation, Lady Esme doubled over, arms wrapped tight around her stomach, groaning in pain.
"Ma'am? Are you alright?" Beth placed a hand on her shoulder. "Let me help you."
"Oh no," Lady Esme shook her off. "I've not been well. Please, let me see you out. I won't charge you for the reading." She shooed Beth out, moaning all the way. Flip the lights, grab the cards, and out she'd be. Lady Esme ducked out and fastened the sign reading "closed" across the flap of her tent. She made it to the hot dog stand with three minutes to spare.
Tucked safely behind her neighbor's wooden beam, Lady Esme devoured her chili dog, wiping her mouth fervently as she watched an impossibly tall figure approach her tent. He bent, weight pressed on his cane, to read the sign. When he stood. he let out a hearty chuckle and fingered the worn edge of his hat. With a tip of the hat toward the tent, the man disappeared back into the crowd.
...
This was an entry for the fourth week of LJ Idol, for the topic "I don't skate to where the puck is. I skate to where the puck is going to be." If you'd like to read other entries and vote, I'd be very thankful! You can do so here: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/966583.html