Aurm and Palm Reading

I met a gem of an informant last week.  He fits nowhere in the skeleton plan I had for my travel essays, but somehow gets his own category as an “unforeseen character.”  His name is Aurm, and he is a local shopkeeper from Nepal who sells traditional flutes to tourists.  Don’t tell him that though.  He hates being labeled as a “tourist hassle.”  

In fact, Aurm hates most things.  The ever rising pollution and symphony of horns from constant traffic, people who don’t care to hear his music that he actually writes and cares about, McLeod Ganj and his situation in life in general, the visa process, his ex wife, the litter in abundance, and particularly books and movies, which he sees as necessary for stupid people who need to have “a way to dumb down reality.”  From there he will motion to the street, “See this?  You have all the drama you’ll ever need right here.”  

There is something savory about his bitterness—a man better than his circumstances who is keenly aware of it.  Aurm seems nothing short of brilliant.  He speaks ten languages, writes music inspired by peoples voices, carves his own flutes, has great one liners, and enjoys reading palms in his spare time.

This is what mine says.  Apparently.

The first thing he noted was a freckle on my right palm.  “You will inherit a fortune,” he says.  I laughed.  I’d love to know where that is coming from, because I don’t foresee it.

“You are like water.”

“Like what?”

“Water.  Your feelings are like water.  Always on the move.  Restless and sneaky, going from one place and relationship to the next whenever it gets difficult.”

“Hmm… okay.  Go on.”

He positioned my palm a bit differently and with an quizzical expression said, “You do not see the arbitrary lines of countries and other boundaries that divide worlds and cultures.  This frustrates you.” Alright, but I’m traveling, so that is easy to say.  But he went on.

“You will find success.  You do not care about money.  Maybe later in life you will volunteer with children and the elderly.”

“Go on.”

“You struggled studying as a kid.”  That was true, and sometimes I forget about that.  

Next he examined my love line.  “You have also had two men in your life.  You were the one who left them.”  Dead on.

From here he switched to my left palm.  His immediate response was, “You have very strange dreams.” That is an understatement.

“Often you are flying.”  Used to.

“There is a green river.  Stay away from it.  Find the crystals.  They will bring you happiness.”

Okay.  Done and done.  Maybe this is a little more intense than a fortune cookie…For those who know me best, what do you think?  Pretty accurate?  

 So yes.  That is Aurm and my palm.  I think my favorite thing about him is that when I offer to help him carry his bags of flutes up the hill each morning he does not fight the genuine gesture and tosses half the load on my shoulder.  It is refreshingly different to be able to help for once.   Really, I haven’t done a dish in a month!

               

Adela