There are many ways of reading cards, each more elaborate than the other. Also in this world there’s competition for it. Who can invent the most intense spread? The Americans like to do that. Count in chunks of fives or nines? The French like to do that.

I prefer the simple way, which is looking at the cards and understanding the essence of what I see.

I look at 9 Clubs, 3 Spades, and 8 Clubs.

I go like this:

Something 9 pieces of wood have an encounter with 3 shovels. Something 8 pieces of wood are still on the ground. I conclude: The shovels are not very efficient.

I look at 5 Diamonds, 7 Diamonds, 8 Spades.

I go like this:

Something 5 diamonds meets a greater fortune. Now there’s 7 of them. 8 shovels are at work. Man, someone is busy getting all them diamonds under the ground.