Among other things, the psychic with the two lazy eyes told me I'd be given a white cat that I couldn't refuse, but I wouldn't be able to keep it for long.
I told my friend Beq (whose apartment I'd squatted in during most of my time in Scotland) and every time we think something is random we talk about being offered a white cat.
This prophecy has almost nothing to do with what happened to me on Tuesday.
Last week I went to the China Australia Business Congress as part of my editorial duty. At lunch on day two I met a guy called David who had a business bringing delegates out to Australia to look for investment opportunities.
When I told him I edited a magazine his eyes lit up: "You're in publishing. I have a publishing delegation from China coming next Tuesday. Are you free to meet with them?"
I gave him my card and said I should be free. He said he'd send an email with details.
A fair bit of to-ing and fro-ing later I find out there are 17 delegates in the group, therefore too many to meet at my workplace (which contains 15 staff) so David books a room at the CQU Sydney campus.
I'm not sure what I was expecting of the meeting. I thought it'd be me, a translator and 17 delegates sitting around a large boardroom table. I'd begin by introducing my company and its publications and then they'd ask me some questions.
Instead, it's me in a classroom with all of them looking at me expectantly like I know the meaning of life (and the right investment strategy for publishing in Australia).
So I tell them about our flagship newsstand publication, our two custom titles and the two websites we have just launched. The translator takes twice as long to translate my words than it takes for me to speak them. I get a little suspicious.
I finish, the translator suggests I sit down, and the questions begin. They range from legal and government involvement in the publishing industry to whether or not jobs in the publishing industry are well regarded, well paid. I get quizzed on the types of magazines that do well, whether the online versions have changed the readership, what I think about the impact of eBooks.
It's a gruelling process, but I speak well because I have nothing to lose and I answer smartly because every now and again I read my Walkley magazine and listen to KatBear talk about something interesting in AdNews and take a genuine interest in my industry. Thank goodness for that.
At the end of the session, the delegation's leader recounts some facts about the Henan province (where they are from) and then delves into some art history. The culmination of the history lesson is the presentation of a gift for my time, a piece of embroidery within a wooden frame. Lo and behold:
It's a white catIsn't it creepy?
I am not suggesting for one moment that the tea leaf reader foresaw this very moment. In fact I don't think she was very good or accurate at all. But the presentation of the white cat did give me the giggles, which I had to suppress as I solemnly accepted the gift and thanked all in the delegation. Then posed for photos with the leader as I accepted the gift.
Then it was time for group photos. A couple all together and then one of me with every individual - me holding their magazine, them holding one of mine etc... Did I mention there was one member of the delegation filming the whole session?
So that's how my entire Tuesday afternoon turned out to be a bizarre experience. Ultimately good, but bizarre. You have to consider me an expert in the publishing industry now.
Anyway, although I am tempted to keep the cat to put in my curios cabinet for strange and hideous things (the as-yet-unborn cabinet at my as-yet-unlived-in townhouse) I think I know just the person to re-gift it to...
