Mary Killen Mary Killen

Dear Mary: Should I hire a fortune-teller for the village fete?

[iStock] 
issue 06 May 2023

Q. I am organising a village fête and am happy to throw cash into it, as we want to make a favourable local impact as the new owners of the Old Rectory. We will have games for children, teas and cakes, secondhand stalls and a brass band. My question is – should I also hire an old-fashioned fortune-teller? I feel this would generate a lot of harmless excitement, but my husband thinks it could cause trouble as some people take fortune-telling seriously.

– Name and address withheld

A. A more useful community service would be to hire a pop-up GP. These now feature in the back rooms of certain upmarket London chemists and give consultations to the time-pressed for £45. Hold a men-only raffle to allow ten winners a free consultation. Men are hopeless at going to the doctor but here they could be lulled by the gaiety outside the tent into vocalising their prostate issues and thereby clearing the first hurdle.

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in