100 Blogs in 100 Days: (#61) - "Psychic, Prophet or Goofball?"

Once upon a time there was a man who lived on the other side of Elmwood Avenue. If you traveled past the mean streets of Mariner and College and far past the Hills where the toys were, you’d find yourself on the outskirts of Allentown and where this unusual man resided. He displayed peculiar ways early on and none more than when he developed a knack for predicting minor events and occurances. This strange talent earned him the nickname "The Wizard of Wadsworth" even though he lived on Hudson Street 4 houses off of Wadsworth. This only added to the controversy and the legend but apparently, wizards know no bounds.

Some said he was gifted, others say cursed but the fact remained that his skills predicting things were better than most. He’d often know what songs would be next on the radio, or what someone he knew would say before they said it. Skeptics claimed he was merely an attentive, logical and bright person. He could predict behavior based on knowledge and experience. Others were mystified at this neighborhood phenomenon and impressed most of all was himself.

Over the years while he has sharpened his gift for prediction he has moved a few villages over to the Elmwood Village where he maintains a subtle level of anonymity. Occasionally his gift is on display when he sits on the patio of Caffe Aroma and predicts the outcomes of arguments. Again naysayers dispute this and attribute it to repeated exposure to coffeehouse behavior. They claim it is merely the use of empirical methods to create the illusion of prophetic ability.

Time and time again the validity of this dynamic modern soothsayer has come into question. Is he lucky? Is he gifted? Is he a goofball? In the absence of cold hard facts all that remains is opinion. There are those who marvel at his ability to guess what will happen most of the time and then there is the legion of the unimpressed who think if he is so gifted why hasn't he been on America's Got Talent yet?

He can prove time and time again that he is truly gifted but those who believe require no proof and those who do not cannot have it proven to them… but those of you on the fence are in luck. Once again he will attempt to prove those who would nay wrong. His most recent prediction is today Kickapotamus will win their kickball game against Gecko’s. This he guarantees. Go down to Delaware Park at 6pm today and see for yourself but I must warn you, be ready to be amazed.