This is a Love Note.

I wouldn’t normally do it but she caught me on a bad day. 

See, I was walking down 14th street with an overpriced baguette and the largest bouquet of roses I could afford from the Union Square Market.

It was a warm day so there were lots of people out. A lot of couples walking their dogs or running after their little munchkins.

I saw a guy buy his girlfriend daffodils and thought, ‘Well, no one’s gonna buy me flowers. I might as well get them for myself.’

So I did. 

Then I thought, ‘Maybe no one will ever buy me flowers, or hold my hand, or take me on dates, or …’ 

That was when she saw me, mid-spiral, walking past her shop. She cut right into my path. This tall, willowy blonde with long, sharp acrylic nails painted in midnight blue said, “Miss, come.” Then she turned her back on me and walked into the shop.

I had two choices: Ignore the crazy and keep walking, like I usually do. I could hop on the 1, go home, and gorge myself on a pint of chocolate chip cookie dough. 

Or, follow the strange lady into “Angela’s Tarot Palace” and see what happens. And really, what was the worst that could happen? I lose another 50 bucks on something I don’t really need?

I found her past the incense and salt lamps at a table against the back wall. No crystal ball. No candles. Just a stack of cards between us as I sat across from her. 

Her opal eyes bore into my soul. I was second guessing my choice until she finally opened her mouth, “What is your question?” 

I didn’t even think. “Will I ever find love? How? When?”

She shuffled the deck twice then pulled 3 cards, face down, onto the table. She turned over the left one first, then the middle one, then the last. Observing each one for a few seconds before moving on to the next.

I squinted at the cards for a minute then I looked up at her, “What do they mean?”

“Your lover is waiting for you in the place where you feel the most alive. You will meet him soon.”

 Then she gathered up the cards, put them back in the middle of the table, and that was that.

I gave her $42.50 and went back on my merry way. I didn’t believe her, of course. I’m not that silly. 

I was sure it was a scam until I stepped into my local library 2 weeks later and met Devon, the new security guard.