MaryLee Trettenero describes herself as clairaudient, which means she hears phrases and sees images when she gives psychic readings. She was an executive in hotel management, then switched gears. For the past four years she's worked in an area tea room and gives more in-depth readings at her Charlestown home.

Her apartment was cozy, clean, and quiet. There were a few crystals lying here and there and a cat or two. She taped the session (readings cost $75-$90), which began with my putting both hands on a large, black crystal ball and her placing her hands atop mine for a minute. I tried to emit energy, however one does that.

As much as I liked her soothing manner and professional demeanor, I couldn't relate to much of what she said. She would close her eyes, take a deep breath, and repeat what she saw and heard. That amounted to a lot of bromides, such as take time "to smell the roses," "you're living too high on the hog," "take a walk on the wild side."

I did agree with her assessment that I don't take enough risks, that I live in the 80-percent range and don't go the extra 20 percent. But that applies to most of the human race, I told her. She said she hadn't told anyone that in the same way before.

Much of the time she used tarot cards as the basis for her reading, then would add her own images. The one time I was floored was when MaryLee described my dogs after I asked about their health. She said that one dog, Lucy, "wishes you could walk her around the neighborhood" and asked if she limped. Lucy's partially paralyzed.