The Memory of Things

Kyle, on a whim, suggests they stop at a palm reader on the way back to the apartment. He regrets the idea right away but thinks it will be fine as long as they stick with palm readings (and no hypnosis or tarot readings). Madame Yvette is “seriously creepy” and leads Kyle to a chair. She takes his 20 dollars, then insists on flipping the first tarot card, Lovers, for Kyle, telling him that the card stands for protection in his case. He tells her no more tarot. She sees on his lifeline that a tragedy befell him when he was young (he thinks of his grandfather dying suddenly in front of him) and again just a few months ago: “Not a death, but a terrible, terrible accident” (192). Kyle thinks of Uncle Matt. The fortune teller reveals that recovery is possible for Uncle Matt. She sees a death on the girl’s palm around the same time as Kyle’s uncle’s accident, saying, “Oh, you sweet child. / I’m so, so sorry, my dear” (194). The girl runs away, and when Kyle catches up, they finish the trip home in silence.