She looked the part, dark glasses, long black hair. I recorded this reading too, as it was going to be my last.

“I’m no make believe gypsy,” she told me, “I’m a true born Romany. What I say is guaranteed to come true in the next year.”

She told me she could also do more expensive readings to forecast the next three months, and that I should think about this, as there was something she really wanted me to know.

“Where you go once, you can go again. You have very good character, and bear a good name. Exactly a month today, you will get a big surprise – it will make you very happy. But be careful who you trust, and who you tell things. Be wary.

“You are not going to die of sickness. It will be of old age. You will never be a burden. You were born under a lucky star. You’re a survivor, you’re like a cat, you’ve got nine lives. But you worry, I can see. Try not to take life too seriously.”

“What is your biggest worry?” she asked. Travel, I replied. “Your career… you’ll make a change, soon. You won’t spend your days doing it, you’ll work for yourself. Have you considered living abroad?”

“You’ve got a good partner. I see big changes and surprises in the next six months… and within the next three months, you’ll come into good money unexpectedly. Not millions, but a nice amount. Don’t lend it: you need to be careful who you trust.”

She kept saying, don’t share too much with others, keep things to yourself.

Then it came.

“Now there is something I want to tell you, something you should know, I do wish you could afford the extra cost… go on, it’s not every day you get your palm read!”

I parted with an extra seven pounds. She handed me the crystal ball. “Go on, make a wish…”

She then told me my wish would come true, and that I was born to be the father of three, two boys and one girl.

After re-iterating what she had told me during the hands-and-face reading, she simply said, “If only you knew how happy your future is going to be… you wouldn’t worry.”

On the way out, I asked her name again.

“It’s outside. You won’t forget it in a hurry.”

I had to wait to go in: she was on the ‘phone, reading from a magazine.

She was definitely the most glamorous of the tellers I’d visited.

No wish this time, it cost £10, not the advertised three, though she did read both hands.

“Wherever you go once, you can go back to. You are popular, and well-liked. You’ll live into your eighties, you won’t be a burden.”

She pointed out my life lines, then asked my age.

She asked if I was in management, because she believed I was about to make a career change – I should go it alone, and will have made my name by the age of 40.

“5 and 8 are your lucky numbers… blue and white your lucky colours… and Saturday your lucky day, so anything you do, do it on a Saturday and it’ll be lucky.”

“The dates December 17th or 18th are big days for you, you’ll get a nice surprise.”

She asked if I had any unanswered questions. I mentioned the sugar.

“No, I don’t see any sugar in your palm at all. What will kill you is something like a heart attack, something sudden and painless. You won’t suffer.”

Before leaving, I bought a lucky birthstone charm bear from her for three pounds.

I closed the door. This was a small booth. She was sat at the back, watching House. Her phone rang twice whilst I was with her.

This was the cheapest reading: only £5 for the right hand.

She crossed the hand for life, love, health and happiness, then said these were the hands of a gentleman.

“I see a stick… you’ll live to an old age… you won’t be a burden.”

“I also see a wedding ring, you’ve thought about it haven’t you? The girl you’re with now, her head’s screwed on, isn’t it?  She’ll stay true to you.”

“I see you crossing the water – you’ll have a good time, and meet friends.”

“You’ve got an outing planned with friends I see.”

I did, the next day, to watch the match.

“ Wear blue, it’ll bring you good luck.”

We lost 6-1.

“I can also see a change of car, do you know who that is? Because I can also see L plates… You’ll be a successful driver.”

She also saw me rocking the cradle three times. One child is going to be a talented musician, one will need a bit more pushing, but will be happy. And, asked if I knew someone who had rocked the cradle before marriage… and to expect good news from them soon. She also saw a christening in the near future.

“I see a bit of jealousy, someone who’s a bit two-faced… Do you know who that is?”

This has come up a few times now.

“I also see paperwork, I think you’ll be your own boss because you’re independent and you don’t like debt.”

This is getting scary.