The Fortune Teller

A quaint shack a little ways off from the greater souq caught my eye. After a long time in the bustling market, I sought peace and quiet. The sign at the shack’s door read Fortune Teller with a subtitle: To know the future, you must know yourself. I’ve never been one for fortune telling, but I was intrigued, so why not.

Upon first glance, the room seemed barren and empty save for a colorful carpet, table, and chairs. “Marhaban, marhaban”, was joyously exclaimed as an old man appeared out of the shadows. “Please sit”, he said pointing to the chair. He was short, bald, and had a grand beard, yet he didn’t seem like someone who stood out in a crowd. However, his eyes had a certain twinkle.

“I’ve not had a visitor in a very long time”, uttered the old man. “I’ve not seen anyone in a very long time. Thank you so much, but I must ask, son. Why did you come”?

“I was browsing around the souq and became curious about this far removed building. Why haven’t you had visitors”? I asked.

“The people here are wary of fortune telling and they say I talk too much nonsense, but regardless, you’re here to experience my trade and you shall experience just that”. Standing up from the chair, the old man clapped his hands. “I shall prepare the qahwa”, he said as he walked to the back room.

Looking around the room, I suddenly noticed old paintings on the walls. I wondered what they were. Not a moment too soon, the old man returned with a steaming cup of coffee. “Freshly prepared just for you”, he said as he set the cup in front of me.

“What are these beautiful paintings? They seem very ancient”, I asked. 

“You like them? Oh, these are Arabic miniature artworks that I’ve gathered throughout my life”.

“They must’ve fetched a high price due to their age”.

“No price. These were gifts from the artists themselves. Now, drink up before it gets cold”, the old man said. 

The coffee had a floral aroma, specifically rosy. Upon drinking, I was struck by its strength and potency. “I don’t mean to be rude, but what type of coffee is this? It’s delicious, but I’ve never had anything like it. What kind of beans are these”?

“I'm happy you like it. It’s an eclectic roast from my time in Ethiopia”.

“You’ve been to Ethiopia”? I asked.

“I’ve had many travels in my life. I miss those good times”, the old man said with a grin, “but no matter. I see you’ve finished your qawha. Please, hand me your cup”.

I observed the fortune teller as he read the symbols within the coffee residue. He was deep in thought and he seemed concerned. His smile turned to a frown, but back to a smile once he looked at me. “What would you like your fortune to be”? He asked. 

I was perplexed. “What do you mean”?

“Your vision is unclear and has worsened over the years, correct”? He asked. 

“My vision is unclear”?

His eyes returned to the coffee. He concentrated and then said, “Your fortune shows success that’s bright and clear as day”.

Dumbfounded, I began to understand why he lacked visitors. He must be playing a stupid game. “Is this a joke? Did you actually read my fortune or just make this up”?

“Your fortune is as I have stated, I promise. The negatives of your life will improve, inshallah”.

I stood up and walked toward the door. “I have to go”.

“Please, don’t go. I apologize for causing uneasiness, but I speak truth. I’ve brought happiness to many people over the years with my skill and I brought it to you, too”.

Sitting back at the table, I stared into his twinkling eyes. “How”? I asked.

“I’ve lived so long, seen so much, and met so many, yet I feel so alone. However, my life didn’t start like this”:

“I was born in a place of lush green where my people lived harmoniously with plants and animals. Ever since I could remember, I’ve been surrounded by magic. My people could perform wondrous acts, yet I’ve always been enthralled by the simple act of fortune telling. The smiles my friends had as I read their fortunes filled me with tremendous joy. Then, one day, I read my own fortune and it said: Go forth and create as much happiness as you can and you shall die happy. So, I made that my life’s mission. I travelled through many lands, both near and far, reading as many fortunes as I could. Once I met my first person, I continued my journey across even more land.

“Met my first person”, I wondered.

“My journey, however, shed light upon the many hardships and burdening futures of all the various people I met. So, I simply shifted the coffee residue to ensure success.

The fortune teller and I grinned. “Never reveal your tricks”, I thought.

“Word of my renown and skill spread throughout the lands. Men, women, and children eagerly awaited my arrival. Humans and jinn alike yearned for success.

“Humans and jinn”? I asked.

“Jinn. Genies. Like in Aladdin”, the fortune teller responded.

“You’ve met genies”?

“Of course. They’re my kin, alongside humans under God. But, even with all the happiness I created, I knew that fortune telling was frowned upon”.

“Seeing the futures of others, ensuring success, seeing my own future, what was I thinking. Of all available paths, I chose a path that led to conflict with God. It was a matter of time until I would face consequences. A time that came once Al-Malik Sulaiman, peace be upon him, received word of me.

“Sulaiman”? I asked.

“Yes, Al-Malik Sulaiman”, the fortune teller responded.

“You mean King Solomon, the prophet”?

The fortune teller nodded his head casually.

“Then, how old are you”?

“Very, very old my friend”.

I glanced at the paintings around us again and things started to make sense, or not. I was in disbelief, but I continued listening.

“When I was eventually brought before Sulaiman, I told him my story in the hopes that he would excuse me. Now, he was a staunch combatant of magic, but he was also a benevolent man and he pitied me. However, he stated the fact that my actions were wrong, although justified. And thus, I was condemned to being sealed into a bottle and cast into the water.

My disbelief reached new heights. “How were you sealed within a bottle”? I asked.

“All magical beings who committed wrongdoing were sealed in bottles”, the fortune teller said. He stood up and went to the back room. When he returned, he held an ancient bottle in his hands. “This is the bottle I was sealed in. It even has Sulaiman’s seal engraved on the cap”, he said as he handed me the bottle. The old, crusty bottle did indeed have two interlaced triangles on the cap. “If what you say is true and this is real, then how did you escape? How are you in front of me”? I asked. And he continued his tale.

“I was never mad with Sulaiman. My actions deserved punishment. So, I was stuck in that bottle for many years thinking of ways to atone. But, the only conclusion that I came to was that fortune telling is a part of my identity, and although it’s at odds with the faith, I shall continue practicing it to spread cheer. I decided that if I’m ever freed, I shall restart my travels. However, my enthusiasm waned as the years upon years passed me by. I began to wonder if I was eternally doomed. That was until one day, alhamdulillah, God’s mercy knows no bounds, a fisherman found and freed me. I was so thankful that I offered my fortune telling services to his family and town. Now, by this time, my age had already advanced by quite a bit, so I regretfully decided to stay in the town instead of travelling. Sadly, the townsfolk were wary of me and I had few visitors. Primarily children came to see me. Soon, however, they stopped coming, too. And I’ve been lonely here ever since".

“That was a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing it with me, but I should go now”, I said. I stood up and handed him back the bottle, but he shook his head in refusal.

“Please keep it. I know that you don’t believe me. I’m just another crazy old fool. That’s fine. But everyone I once knew is dead, so I have nothing to leave behind for anyone. Keep it, as a final wish from me”, the old man requested. “Thank you for fulfilling my fortune”, the fortune teller said with a smile.

“Sure, of course”, I said walking to the door. Saying one last goodbye, I headed outside. Heading back towards the souq, I stopped to look at the bottle. A smile filled my face. I turned around to face the quaint shack one final time, but it wasn’t there. I rubbed my eyes. The quaint shack was replaced with a small ruin.