The Office

Today, two fortune tellers came to the office.

Softbank India is located in a pretty typical office building near Bangalore's main commercial district. Our building is 5 stories tall, and we are on the second floor. The office itself is fairly small - maybe 1,500 square ft - but big enough to comfortably fit the six people that work here.

It is not entirely unusual for people to come into our office selling strange goods and services. The other day, a man came in the front door of the office, and asked if I wanted a shave. Though I was curious to see how this would work at my desk, I declined.

Today's visitors came in, and both looked a little strange. One appeared to be a Sikh with a large red turban. He stood a step behind another gentlemen with bloodshot eyes and western clothes highlighted with a huge Levi's brass belt buckle.

These two men came in the front door, each holding a notebook. They quickly started chanting (in Hindi? Kannada?) and walking around the office. Then, they started staring intensely in people's faces and chanting to them.

Apparently, both men were face readers who, naturally, used people's faces to tell their fortune. The women who sits next to me was told that a bald man would soon be coming to assist her with a financial problem.

The face readers walked around for about five minutes (unfortunately skipping me, the openly staring Westerner) and told some more fortunes. Then, they invited us to their temple down the road for some sort of a ceremony this evening. Then, they turned and left.

Just another day at the office.