Visions of the Future

I had a good life working as John Rockefeller's maid, but it was 1928. It was finally time for me to retire, and turn over the caretaking of the family to someone else. Catherine McClellan was a nice young lady. She was so bright and energetic. I thought that she could do so much more with her life, but she seems to have her heart truly set on taking my place serving the Rockefellers. I can only hope that the career will be all that she expects. To celebrate my retirement, we went out to the traveling circus that came to town.

We happily wandered around, seeing some of the vaudeville acts, and wound up in Madame Vincini's House of Fortune to see what my future had in store....

It was a little shop, dimly lit by some flickering candles. Maroon draperies lined the walls. Madame Vincini was an old Italian woman with black scraggly hair that seemed to try to escape from the gaudy patchwork headscarf that was penning it in place. She gazed at us from where she was sitting at a small table as we came in. I immediately got the odd feeling I was being read. She was looking not only just at my intentions, but who I really was. She smiled and spoke in a heavy Italian accent. "Come in. Come in and sit down. For a mere pittance, Vincini can see all, and can tell what your future has in store for you."

I sat down at the table, as Cathy looked on skeptically, sitting on a small seat in the corner. Madame Vincini peered intently into her crystal ball. I looked at the ball myself, but all I could see was blur. Vincini's eyes unfocused, and it was like her voice changed to a distant drone as she started in.

"Vincini sees you have worked hard, but for good people. A big change in your life is in the near future." She looked up at me. "Your life will get easier, and you will be quite happy."

"Oh yes! I'm going to be retiring tomorrow!"

She looked back into the globe for a few seconds of silence. She looked back up at Cathy, as if to peer right through her.

Cathy spoke up "What? Should I go? Am I interfering by giving off negative energy or something?" She gestured to the door.

Madame Vincini looked at Cathy as if she was studying a problem for the first time. "You're not all here."

I looked at Cathy, and it was clear that neither one of us was expecting that. I said "Um...excuse me?"

Madame Vincini continued talking to Cathy. "You are like a white tablecloth with a big scorch mark in the middle. It draws the eye, and what is missing becomes what defines you. It is as if a piece of your soul has been viciously ripped out." She nodded to herself and continued as if the matter had been decided. "Yes. Your reading will be next." She peered into the crystal ball again.

After a few long moments of caressing the crystal ball, Madame Vincini looked up at me. "Ah yes...love has not found you yet...a few times you've been close, but the seedling dried up before maturity. Love searches still...it will be a while, but don't give up hope. Love is eternal. It shall find you yet, and when you least expect it. Handsome...funny... a bit of pain in his past -- he has been hurt before... he will be reluctant, but your kindness will win him over. When you notice the dark haired man watching you, that is the sign." I smiled to know that I would find a soulmate in my golden years.

Madame Vincini looked up at Cathy kindly, waving her over, her heavy Italian accent re-instating itself. "Now. Come. Sit."

Cathy nervously pulled up her chair as Madame Vincini looked into the crystal ball. "So...what is so important to you? Money?" Vincini's eye went wide "Ooohh! I see a lot of money!"

I piped up with "Yes. We work for Mr. Rockefeller."

Madame Vincini absently nodded. "There is a lot of money...But money is not your concern...Love?" She suddenly gasped and gazed at Cathy accusingly as she spat out "Such blackness! Such bitterness! Oh yes! A lost love! It has consumed you!" Vincini's old crooked finger pointed at Cathy as she continued on her rant "That! That is the scorchmark on your soul!"

I was wondering if she was looking at the same woman that I was. Cathy was single, and always willing to do anything she was asked!

Madame put her head back toward the ball, caressing it, and peering into it. She caressed it more and more, apparently bewildered by it. "Are you an actress?"

Cathy nervously giggled. "Um. No."

Madame said "Vincini will tell you what she sees. You are a Native American medicine woman, tending her tribe. And then you are a middle aged woman, teaching classes while dressed in vintage clothing. You are a very wealthy woman, eating a fine meal...."

Cathy was wide eyed, and mouth agape as if she was just accused of some hideous crime, yet hell-bent on hearing more.

Madame nodded. "Vincini's visions are true...these mean something to you. Vincini sees them, but does not understand... Tell Vincini."

Cathy gulped and stammered "You...you have a true gift. What you see is all me. Well, was ... or will be me." She sighed heavily. "You must never tell anyone."

I nodded and Vincini said "All readings are confidential.."

"I will be born in 1945, 17 years from now. On November 18th, 1973 I will be eating dinner at the Rockefeller estate with my new husband and the Rockefellers." She grimaced, remembering the mental anguish. "During dinner, there will be a pop and his ex-girlfriend Marsha will just materialize in the room like magic. After proclaiming that she wants him back, Marsha will dismissively touch me. With just that, she will send me back in time as to be out of her way. Way back to 1673."

"However, I found that I also have a gift. It is one with a heavy price. With a touch, I can move my mind to another body, killing their consciousness." Cathy put her head down in her hands, and started to weep. "I have killed so many helpless little babies to live their lives. I had to do it to survive..."

Vincini's eyes unfocused as she looked at the crystal ball. Her voice droned "I see the meal...It is far in the future, yet you are only middle aged! You are there eating the meal..." She gasps "The lady Marsha appears! Oh! You vanish!" Vincini's eyes went wide as she continued her vision "And...you rush in, 30 years older as the maid! You lunge! Oh! And...then you are no more. You lie still and lifeless on the floor. And ...Lady Marsha is sobbing...." Vincini looked at Cathy "It isn't Marsha anymore, is it?"

Cathy smiled through her tears "No it won't be. I will be there in 45 years, and once again be with Robert. As a token of my appreciation Madame Vincini, look into the future..know the reading for October 29th, 1929. Look more at December 7th, 1941."

- The End