A performance artist with tea leaves

`But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
`Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
`How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
`You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.'

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Went to my local library to see a demonstration about serving tea. An elderly English woman was giving a spot of history about its origins. It seems that many thousands of years ago, a Chinese emperor realized that boiling water reduced sicknesses and so he would frequently command that his drinking water be scalded. One day... lo and behold... some of the leaves from the branches that were stoking the fire, had flown into the boiling pot and... VOI LA... the leaves gave up their flavoring contents to the hot water, which the Chinese emperor found to be pleasant upon tasting. Henceforth, there would be tea!

This ceremony was now being performed by the elderly matron-of-tasseography who also entertained us with numerous anecdotes from different cultures relating to the various rituals surrounding the drinking of tea. One of these rituals was her avocation, that being the "reading of tea leaves". Of course, after completing our repast with the loose tea, we lined up and had each of our fortunes told. It always amuses me to observe the curiosities of people to want to know "how things will turn out"... when in fact, things turn out the same -whether you know about them beforehand, or not. I must confess here that I am an ardent fan of Ouspenski and his writings about the inevitable fortunes of his imago, Ivan Osikin. But I digress...


I heard the wise tea-woman speak to my friend about her latest and upcoming fortunes -and I observed that she was right on with her assessment of symbols formed on the sides of the teacup. So I stuck my thrice-swished and turned-up-side-down tealeaves in my cup over to the fortune telling tea lady for a personal scrutiny of my so-called destiny. First off, she asked me if I had been playing an instrument lately (which I had) -and she told me to "stick with it" because it would bring big success (I'd better polish up my triangle). Then she asked if I ski. When I demured, she switched to "someone close to me" who skiis or snowboards -and that they should be careful... (Guess I'd better use more super glue on my pet's paws.) Also, a long trip that I was planning would not work out because of lack of funds at this time (oh well, I guess I'll put off my trip to Antarctica... for now). But the last item was the best. According to her, I enjoy giving love and I will get back a lot of it! Now that's what I call good fortune... and a wonderful performance!!!

We gulped down the rest of our teas and finished our "sweeties"... and left the hall of knowledge for the safety of our respective ignorances. Ahhhhhhh... BLISS.