One evening I was waiting outside the establishment for my group to reconvene before heading to the next stop. A woman in my group approached me, claiming t hat she had psychic ability. Her talent was corroborated by her husband and friend who accompanied her. She surprised me by saying, “Ty, I need to correct you on one important point in your story. T he spirit is not a boy.” In response to my puzzled expression, s he continued . “She is a girl, and was eleven years old when she died. She complains that someone braids her hair much too tightly.” The psychic explained that the girl would prefer to wear her hair down, but the adult won’t pay her any mind.

I pressed her to help me understand her ps ychic gift. “It’s not necessarily a gift,” she told me. “I’ve been able to see into the spirit world for as long as I can remember. Believe me, some things you just don’t want to know.” She hesitated briefly. “By the way, did you know the strap in the back of your vest is undone?” She tied the strap around its buckle. Since then, neither spirit nor dry cleaner has loosened it.