I'd been planning for
today for some time. I'd been offered the opportunity to run a stall
at the local psychic fair where I could flog some paintings. And so
(after a lazy morning) off I went.
What does one expect from
a psychic fair? A clairvoyant helter-skelter? A carousel which
foretells the weather with uncanny accuracy? A roller-coaster that
gets messages from "the other side"?
My hopes weren't high
when I saw Tony Lemesmer (from the "Alan Partridge"
show) starring as one of the psychics. And my hopes fell lower
when I realised that (at least) three of the psychics had
stooges sitting with them to make it look like they were busy to
entice the punters to form queues.
It wasn't just psychics
at the fair. There was a lady flogging crystal healing paraphernalia.
I thought it was rather ironic that she was on crutches, obviously in
pain, and couldn't walk more than a few yards before needing to rest.
And I actually laughed out loud at a particularly stout chap who was
flogging a herbal weight loss product.
The spiritual healing was
quite interesting. Young ladies got to lie on a couch, got covered
with a towel, got touched up, got told what Arthur had felt, and got
to pay ten quid for the honour. And the punters were just as bad. I
was particularly impressed by the one with the word "colostomy"
tattooed on her forearm. I was also warned about the vicar of the
local spiritualist church who was trying to recruit psychics to his
flock.
There's no denying that I
went along expecting the worst.
But it's easy to be
cynical. As the afternoon wore on the joss sticks had been lit, and
there was gentle hippy music in the background. The place had a very
soothing aura. It was so relaxing just sitting and watching the world
go by.
I couldn't help but be
nosey and listen in to the reading which was going on next to me.
Whilst I couldn't say that the chap had completely foretold his
punter's life in every detail, he certainly had hit several chords.
His punter was moved and impressed, and hadn't actually given away
any clues. Another reading finished with the punter amazed and the
psychic in tears.
There were quite a few
people along this afternoon. Apparently attendance was down on the
usual turn out because it was Father's Day. But those who were there
went along knowing in advance what they wanted. The psychics and
healers did a roaring trade, as did those selling crystals. I had a
lot of people interested in my paintings, but time and again people
said that they hadn't brought any spare money, and asked if I would
be at the next fair. It would seem that the punters knew in advance
what stalls would be there, and had brought exactly enough money for
what they wanted. Quite a few people took my card and I had an
in-depth discussion about a possible commission.
Financially I didn't get
rich on the day. By the time I'd paid for my pitch I was actually
down on the deal. But I'm not discouraged. As we were setting up I
got into conversation with a chap who told me not to be upset if I
didn't sell a thing, and if I took over two hundred quid I shouldn't
expect that next time. Apparently (financially) some fairs are
gold mines and others are deserts.
There's another one in a
month's time. I shall be there.....
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