Suppose you are a fortune-teller. You have a small shop in Milwaukee complete with a crystal ball, beads hanging in the doorway, incense, and a shelf of books devoted to the dark arts. At about 4:00 in the afternoon in early March a couple in their mid-thirties comes into your shop. They are apparently healthy, and both are well dressed and wearing slightly worn gold wedding bands. They are obviously affectionate, and as they take a seat on your couch, the woman gives the man a quick kiss. You notice that their faces and arms are well tanned, and the man is holding a key ring with two keys. One is stamped with the word “Porsche.” When you glance through the front window, you notice a small, two-seat sports car of that make parked on the street. You introduce yourself as a fortune-teller famous throughout the world, and as you gaze into your crystal ball, you say, “I see . . .” (Do a cold reading of this couple.)

At about 10:00 the next morning a woman in her mid-forties comesthrough the front door. She looks tired, her makeup is slightly smeared, and behind dark glasses you notice that her eyes look puffy. Her clothing is rumpled, and you detect a slight scent of alcohol on her breath. As she takes a seat on your couch, you notice that she is agitated and nervous, and she fidgets with the wedding ring on her finger. In a subdued tone of voice she says that she wants her fortune told. You reply that she has come to the right place, and as you wave your hands over your crystal ball, you begin with the words “I see . . .” (Do a cold reading of this woman.)