During a recent drive on Shea, I noticed a sign above the door of a store in a strip mall: Fortune Teller – Now Open!

I parked, entered and found myself in a room furnished only with a round table and two chairs facing each other. It was well lit but without any ornamentation. A lady entered from the rear, Caucasian, dressed in a pants suit – I thought she was a greeter or hostess, but no, she was the fortune teller.

She asked my fortune telling preference: Tarot cards, palm reading, tea leaves or crystal ball. I said my question had to do with upcoming political events, and we decided on the crystal ball – it provided a clearer picture, so to speak.

I said people I know think Donald Trump will win the 2024 election: What can they expect in that event? She placed the ball in the middle of the table and put on a pair of aviator glasses, remarkably similar to Dark Brandon’s, and proceeded with the following prediction/admonition in a trance-like monotone:

“Do they really want to live in a country where the military suppresses peaceful demonstrations, people will get snatched out of their homes and deported, and the Justice Department prosecutes anyone Trump views as an enemy? Imagine living in an America where violence becomes a way to enforce the whims of the president, news outlets are shut down for criticizing the president, and government is run by his cronies. Businesses will close and economic decline will follow.”

When finished she sat back, visibly drained, took off her sunglasses and asked for my credit card. I gave it, she completed the transaction and slid the receipt across to me. I left and, while folding up the receipt, saw writing on the back: “Remember in November.”

Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.