“So, also my aunt’s books for cooking too. In the hand and head. Everything. Some on and on on their arms when these words go on too long. Histories. Travels. Lives. But you pay this hand,” which is out again with the letters and numbers on it, “two dollars, one for your message for which and other the language of what and who they are from.”
“Just for the message.” I give him a dollar. “I think I’ve memorized enough of the language on your hand to find out which one it is.”
“Never unless I tell you. But fifty cents more for the flower or language and people then. I’ll do that now. I want to get home soon.”
“Really, I’m just about broke.” I give the flower to him and he drops it into a shopping bag with other flowers. “It’s ruined now, you should pay, but okay. Now for your dollar.” He looks at that palm. “Tonight’s November Twenty-something in your language. I know what day of. Friday. By us, a special alone dog day, one where the tail is down and can’t wag. But you’ve how much age?”
“Forty-two. No, I had a birthday, July. -three.”
“And you lived many years here you said since your shoeshine box a half a boy my age ago, even if I guess now and then you moved. Say it’s not true.”
“Is true.”
“That’s all I must know. Not your father’s name, not your mother’s.” Closes his eyes, presses that palm to his ear, mumbles, opens his eyes on the palm. “It says for you this night in the city you were once very young in that you will stay young in for a while and will stay here for years and make it to be a big long life for a long time, but for now these next five weeks you will make or one time soon — let me count. One, two, three,” with his eyes closed and opens them on his palm. “Make the one, love, two, lot but not that lot of money, and three, keep the head and body strength you have if you still want it to do what work you like to and do best and succeed. But, it says, you must look and good and hard for all three in these next five weeks and not stop till you find, for they will not come out to look and find you. You know what all that means? I don’t so much. I only repeat what I read and now unless you remember it, is gone.”
“That’s it?”
“Not enough?”
“No, more than I ever hoped for.”
“For you don’t like it, I give your dollar back, because I don’t know what else you could wish for. Life forever? That goes for nobody, but if someone like me reads it in his palm for you or says ‘Never sickness,’ tell him he lies.”
“Really, it’s okay,” when he puts his hand in the pocket he put the dollar in. “I thought you were great.”
“Neh, maybe there’s more. I don’t want you to be unhappy with me or think I’m lazy and maybe left some for you behind.” Holds his palm up to his nose and shakes it. Puts it to his forehead and closes his eyes and his lashes start fluttering. Makes a fist, opens it, closes it, opens, closes, opens and opens his eyes, lashes stop fluttering, and looks at it. “If anything is hiding in there it needs sometimes to shake it apart or unlock.” Holds his fist to his ear, says “Wait, I hear, it’s getting closer — here it is I think,” and looks at his palm. “Yes. And it still says it won’t be easy what that message from my hand and head called out to you, but it gives words of advice how to go out and get them and again in numbers of three. One, be not as strong as young teeth, not as weak as old bones, not as quick as quick lips with swift tongues, but someplace inside each of these: easy and hard, fast and slow, throw and catch, the in-between.” He looks up. “That’s all I can say. Even for many more dollars from you, because all there was of the message I read. Now I must go. Time is late. I’m not afraid, but sisters and mother who wait up for me are. And you don’t want beautiful red flower, others along the way might. Goodnight,” and he picks up the shopping bag and goes. “Night,” and get home safe if home’s where you’re going, though bet he can handle himself on the street better than I, and take out my notebook to write down the letters and numbers that were on his palm, but have forgotten everything but a reverse S and the upside-down nine.
