The machine whirred and dinged. Lights flashed, and it spoke with a foreign accent. Isabel had put in that special Buffalo Nickel she had found under the boardwalk in Long Branch, New Jersey. She often went there to collect coins people dropped from the boardwalk. It was a gig better than collecting soda pop bottles.
“What you see depends on what you’re looking for…”
The machine boomed, startling Isabel.
“Looking for?” Isabel found herself talking to the animatronic character “Zoltar.”
“Beware the half-truth; you may have the wrong half…”
“You messing with me now?” Isabel said, posing as if she were cool.
“When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.”
Isabel chuckled. She wasn’t about to get into it with this machine, even if it was being a wise guy.
“Dude, stop messing around and give me my fortune!”
“The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your arm.”
As the machine whirred and banged again, the crystal ball released blue smoke, and the whole wooden case shook like a washing machine gone rogue.
“Dude, calm down, what if I said, please give me my fortune?”
Zoltar stood still
“Do not miss out on something great just because it may be difficult”
“Look, I gave you my lucky Buffalo Nickel. I think it deserves a fortune.”
“A goal without a plan is merely a wish”
“I’ll take a wish,” Isabel said, getting all flustered.
“Put your future in good hands, your own.’’
“I wish for world peace, there I said it!”
Whoosh! All the humans disappeared.
“Everyone smiles in the same language”
Zoltar begins to laugh loudly.
GrowingOlderHopeWiser 
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