Had Their Hand In Future Events

(My ten-year old cousin is sleeping over at my place. I am seven at the time. We are in bed, but have a flashlight.)

Cousin: “You know, I can read your hand and tell your future.”

Me: “Really? How?”

Cousin: *turning on flashlight* “Let me show you!” *bends over my hand and follows the lines with her finger and then nods wisely* “Ahhh! You will get married two times. Once to a white man and have two children! See?” *points to some lines*

Me: “Gah! Boys are stupid. I would never marry one!”

Cousin: “Sush. The white man will die, and you will marry a black man and have two children with him.”

Me: *shocked* “But I don’t want him to die!”

Cousin: *shrugs* “It’s your destiny. Nothing you can do about it.” *turns off light and goes to sleep.*

(I am upset by this prophecy for weeks. Fast forward ten years. My aunt gives my younger sister a pack of popular girls’ magazines which are at least ten years old. A little later my sister comes to me.)

Sister: “I can read your hand and tell your future.”

Me: “Oh, can you?”

Sister: *leans over my hand and nods* “Ahh, you will get married two times. Once to a white man and you will have two children with him. But he will die.”

Me: “What the h***? Where did you get this from?”

Sister: *laughing* “From [Girls’ Magazine].”

(Turned out it was my cousin’s magazine, which contained an article with an instruction and a precise text. Dear Author, thank you for that traumatizing experience.)