Today, I was approached by this man: Mr Yogi Singh. His opening line was to tell me that I’m so lucky to have my wife. Since I am very much aware of that fact I decided to hear him out. He offered to tell my fortune for the modest sum of 4 US Dollars.

We sat down on a nearby park bench, and he wrote down some stuff on a note while making pained, grunting noises. He knuckled the paper into a small ball which he then gave to me for safekeeping. Then he asked me a few questions. He wanted to know my favorite color, a number and some other information. He then wrote it down on a paper, and asked me to open the knuckled paper I had in my hand.

It turned out that he already knew all the answers to what he had asked me, including some pretty personal information (the name of an ex-girlfriend from 10 years ago, not exactly readily available information), since he had already written them down on the knuckled paper.

As for the fortune telling, well, the future is looking all right. For you parents out there, Mr Singh assures us that there will be great-grandchildren in the future. Other things are about to fall in place too, and a long life awaits.

I don’t know how he did what he did, but it sure was impressive. Impressive enough that I lushed out another six dollars for some prayers, talismans and sacrifices (soap, perfume, biscuits and candles!). Can’t hurt, can it? And even if it was a hoax, it was an inexpensive, inexplicable feel-good one.