One evening, while waiting on the platform for my train, I noticed a woman standing next to me. She wasn’t particularly conspicuous, just an ordinary-looking person. But it seemed like she was up to something strange, so I stole a glance out of the corner of my eye.
In her right hand she was holding what looked like a thin piece of string, about six inches long. She had it dangling from her finger, pointing it toward the screen of her smartphone, which she held horizontally. Upon closer inspection, I saw that there was some kind of small crystal tied to the end of it. Staring intently at the tip, she brought the crystal close to her phone until it just grazed the screen. Was this what they call dowsing? People say that a transcendental force can swing a pendulum and guide our judgement. The screen of her smartphone was dimly lit, and it was impossible to tell whether she was looking at a map, a photo, or some text message. Or perhaps the screen had been pitch-black from the start and displayed nothing at all.
She stared, without moving an inch, at the tip of the crystal hanging above the screen. I stood next to her and hoped that the crystal would not suddenly start moving.
