CITY LIMITS SIDEBAR: This is your life. Or is it?

Ten dollars seemed a small price to pay for the future. And so, this intrepid reporter ventured to the tops of long narrow stairways and into the depths of the psyche to find out exactly what may lie ahead. Using my two palms as a control, I tested the astrological insights of psychics all over Philadelphia. If there was some hint of truth to their predictions, I figured, they ought to all be basically the same – after all, my hands would be the same wherever I went. But all that remained the same was the price. All the fortunes, though, did begin with the same three findings: I have a strong lifeline. I will live long. I am a good and honest person. Sylvia was most specific. My palm told her that I will live until I am 93 (I wrote that one down.) But from that point on, the findings diverged. According to my left palm, Madonna told me, I will be married, with one child, within seven years. I will be married once. I will end up with two children. Maybe three. (I began to have my doubts when she said, "maybe." Why maybe? Wasn't it written on my palm? Carved into my celestial destiny?) But Sylvia was convinced that I will be married within six years, and will have two children. Cindy read that I will be married in three years. I will only be married once, and will have a son, then a daughter. Maria contended that I will be married with two children by the time I am 30. And Mrs. Sylvia said I will have three children and will be married once. Madonna and Maria both agree – I have had many admirers (which, counting grade school, could be considered accurate). Maria, though, looked at me with pity, saying I had been hurt badly in the past. But, they agree, I have not yet found true love. I am in a relationship now, but the other person loves me more than I love him, Maria said. I have not yet found true love, but it is in my future. Sylvia says I have found my true love, who will be the person I will marry. She commented on my selectivity, saying that while I have many admirers, I am very choosy (you might as well pick up some flattery for $10). Cindy says that while I will get married in three years, I have to find my true love very soon. When it comes to my family, Madonna says, I am encircled by love. But there is "some distance" there. Someone in my family who was ill will be better soon. I am very close to my family. Sylvia says someone in my family going through financial difficulties will resolve their problems shortly. But, Cindy says, I will draw closer to my family as time goes on. I should certainly hope so, since Cindy went on to predict that I will give up my career in 10 years to take care of said family in New York, where Sylvia also predicted that I will live. When it comes to my career, Sylvia, Cindy and Maria said, I will be very well-known and respected. While I will never be rich, they all went out of their way to inform me, I will always be comfortable. Madonna added that I have good judgment and a creative business sense, and should pick a career that will allow me to utilize both. This year, Sylvia, Cindy and Mrs. Sylvia said, will be a great year for me in both love and my career. Among all of the astrologers, only Cindy had a warning for me. Rather than ease my everyday fears, this only reinforced my perpetual paranoia. "There are envious people [at school,] envious friends," she said. "You will get what you want in the end, but watch your back." Did I have any questions? My main question was about the Penn basketball team. Little does Jerome Allen know that his fate and that of his teammates is not only written in the stars, but also is written on my hand. "They will do better than last year," she said, "but their best year will be 1994. And University Board of Trustees Chairperson Alvin Shoemaker will be happy to know that according to my palm, our next President will be "moody" – very intelligent, but not very good with people. Armed with this highly-specific information about the University and fairly-vague importunings of my own future, I continued on down the dusty road of destiny.