A Spellcaster; a la Raymond Chandler
It was another day in the life of the online hoodoo spell lady. She sat before her computer, staring at the screen, her inbox beckoning her. She knew the drill - the first task of the day was always to check her emails. A couple of spell inquiries were waiting, each vying for her attention.
The first inquiry, however, made her heart sink. She knew it was the worst kind - the kind that demanded reassurance. The kind that would make her promise the impossible. She had warned people about this, but it seemed like nobody paid any attention. It was a woman this time, seeking a spell to make a man give her more of his time, sex, and conversation. The catch? She wanted to know if it was going to work.
The online hoodoo spell lady sighed. She knew that success was a tricky thing, especially when it came to people wanting "more" of something. She crafted an honest response, but deep down, she knew that it would only discourage or confuse the woman further. Nevertheless, she hit the send button, hoping for the best. But in her gut, she knew that the woman would keep searching, looking for a scam artist who promised the world. After all, they were everywhere, lurking in the shadows, ready to prey on the desperate and the gullible. The online hoodoo spell lady shook her head. She knew that in this business, the line between magic and trickery was razor-thin.
Casting a spell is like aiming an arrow at an invisible target. Even if you hit it, you can't convince anyone else of the victory. That's why most of the legit practitioners of magic hesitated to make guarantees of success even in the modern age of "customer satisfaction". Successful rituals were often marred by unmet expectations. And when it comes to proving the effectiveness of a spell, magic is scientifically unproven.
The spell lady replied by email, stating as much. A few minutes later the prospective client wrote back, saying she didn't understand the reply. The spell lady sighed, and typing slowly with one hand while working the mouse in the other, endeavored to break it all down into nice little chewable sections for her: the spell might work, but even if it did, she might not be happy with the results. The potential wrote back with still more questions and explanations of her situation, wanting concrete answers and promises. But already the spell lady could tell: she's not going to be a client; even if she decides she wants the services, it's better to turn down a client than to deal with somebody who's got two hundred bucks worth of false expectations.
“I don't peddle miracles,” she wrote. “My spells are as potent as any other sorcerer's, but I don't make promises I can't keep. I won't paint a picture of rainbows and unicorns just to lure you in. The truth is, magic is not a magic wand that grants your every whim. It's a tool, like any other, with its own limitations and conditions. Some spellcasters might sell you a fairy tale and promise you the moon, but I won't deceive you with false hopes. I'll tell it like it is, plain and simple. If you want a spell to work, you have to put in the effort and believe in it. You can't just sit back and wait for miracles to happen. Magic is not a substitute for hard work or common sense. It's a supplement, a catalyst, a spark that ignites the fire of change.
“So, if you want a spell that works, come to me. I won't promise you the world, but I'll give you a fighting chance. I'll do my best, and that's all anyone can do. The rest is up to fate, destiny, or whatever you want to call it.”
And in the end, the potential client went to a scammer who promised her the moon with a big red bow on it, and got taken for every dime she had. To say that the spell lady didn’t care would be untrue; but neither was she surprised.
END.
The first inquiry, however, made her heart sink. She knew it was the worst kind - the kind that demanded reassurance. The kind that would make her promise the impossible. She had warned people about this, but it seemed like nobody paid any attention. It was a woman this time, seeking a spell to make a man give her more of his time, sex, and conversation. The catch? She wanted to know if it was going to work.
The online hoodoo spell lady sighed. She knew that success was a tricky thing, especially when it came to people wanting "more" of something. She crafted an honest response, but deep down, she knew that it would only discourage or confuse the woman further. Nevertheless, she hit the send button, hoping for the best. But in her gut, she knew that the woman would keep searching, looking for a scam artist who promised the world. After all, they were everywhere, lurking in the shadows, ready to prey on the desperate and the gullible. The online hoodoo spell lady shook her head. She knew that in this business, the line between magic and trickery was razor-thin.
Casting a spell is like aiming an arrow at an invisible target. Even if you hit it, you can't convince anyone else of the victory. That's why most of the legit practitioners of magic hesitated to make guarantees of success even in the modern age of "customer satisfaction". Successful rituals were often marred by unmet expectations. And when it comes to proving the effectiveness of a spell, magic is scientifically unproven.
The spell lady replied by email, stating as much. A few minutes later the prospective client wrote back, saying she didn't understand the reply. The spell lady sighed, and typing slowly with one hand while working the mouse in the other, endeavored to break it all down into nice little chewable sections for her: the spell might work, but even if it did, she might not be happy with the results. The potential wrote back with still more questions and explanations of her situation, wanting concrete answers and promises. But already the spell lady could tell: she's not going to be a client; even if she decides she wants the services, it's better to turn down a client than to deal with somebody who's got two hundred bucks worth of false expectations.
“I don't peddle miracles,” she wrote. “My spells are as potent as any other sorcerer's, but I don't make promises I can't keep. I won't paint a picture of rainbows and unicorns just to lure you in. The truth is, magic is not a magic wand that grants your every whim. It's a tool, like any other, with its own limitations and conditions. Some spellcasters might sell you a fairy tale and promise you the moon, but I won't deceive you with false hopes. I'll tell it like it is, plain and simple. If you want a spell to work, you have to put in the effort and believe in it. You can't just sit back and wait for miracles to happen. Magic is not a substitute for hard work or common sense. It's a supplement, a catalyst, a spark that ignites the fire of change.
“So, if you want a spell that works, come to me. I won't promise you the world, but I'll give you a fighting chance. I'll do my best, and that's all anyone can do. The rest is up to fate, destiny, or whatever you want to call it.”
And in the end, the potential client went to a scammer who promised her the moon with a big red bow on it, and got taken for every dime she had. To say that the spell lady didn’t care would be untrue; but neither was she surprised.
END.