Dear Dr. Eldritch,
    I think I can predict the future, and now I'm in danger, but I don't know what's going to happen. I mean, I can only see what's just about to occur, but not far into the future. Let me explain:

It all started when a science-geek friend of mine said he'd buy me a steak dinner if I could correctly call ten coin tosses in a row. Well, I did it. He then insisted that we do it again with a different coin and a neutral third party doing the flipping. When I called the next ten correctly, he got all mad and refused to pay up because I must be cheating, but he couldn't tell how. I tried to explain that I was having the weird sensation of knowing how the coin would land, but he wouldn't listen. I went home, shuffled a deck of cards, and tried to name each card before I turned it over. I got them all right. Statistically, isn't that impossible?

Since then I've been experimenting with predicting things, like whether somebody will make a free throw or how many people will be on an elevator when the doors open. I can "see" about ten seconds ahead. I can't predict who will win the next election, and I don't magically know things that I can't observe. For example, I can sit at Starbucks and write down exactly what people are about to order, but I can't tell you their name or anything like that.

I thought all of this was just an interesting quirk, but I swear now there are people following me. I only get glimpses of them, but I have the feeling I'm being watched. There are strange clicks on my phone. I came home yesterday and everything looked like it was where I left it, but not exactly. It's freaking me out.

I tried to research this at the library, but nobody addresses this problem, so I'm turning to you. Am I the only one who can predict the future like this? Who are these people following me? What should I do? Please help!

-- Anxious, but I Can't Say Where

Dear Anxious,
    Congratulations! You have an exciting ability, one that sets you apart from the teeming masses of mundane mortals in a way that no extraneous limb or boy-band tenure can! Be encouraged; your gift is potentially quite useful, but you'll need to take control of your Fate. There are many who would exploit you, so you've done well to seek my advice.

The Good News, and the answer to the first question, is that you are not the only one with this power. However, Precognition isn't common, so there isn't Precogs Anonymous or a Fraternal Order of Precogs Lodge. In fact, most genuine psychics who acknowledge their abilities vanish mysteriously. Which is an argument for eschewing public demonstration of this skill for now (but I'm skipping to question three).

Answer to Question Two: I don't know. They are very likely from one or more of the world's conspiratorial organizations vying for secretive global control or with a vested interest in the success or failure of psychic phenomenon, like the Men In Black, The Grays, Majestic 12, the Illuminati, The Scroll & Key, The Russell Trust, the US Shadow Government, the Canadian Shadow Government, the Trilateral Commission, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, the American Dental Association, Atlantians, The Bilderberg Group, The Brotherhood of the Dragon, the Club of Rome, CSICOP, the Freemasons, the Forteans, The Group, the Jason Group, the Secret Organization of Guys Named Doug, the Order of the Quest, Ordo Templi Orientis, The Open Friendly Secret Society, PI-40 Committee, Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research, the Raëlians, Rosicrucians, or Rastafarians, to name but a few.

Before I tell you what to do, here are three things to NOT do:

Do not tell anyone about your precognitive ability! The more people who know about this, the more chances for information to work its way to the organizations mentioned in Answer Two. You don't want their attention.

Do not show off! You may have fun announcing "I'll get that!" a moment before the phone or doorbell rings, but such behavior will disturb those around you. People do not like to be disturbed, and they will grow to dislike you.

Do not rush out and buy a spandex outfit! You have a handy ability, but not a superpower. Unless you also have tremendous fighting skills, your only advantage during your first encounter with a supervillain may be the ten-second advance notice of your own demise.

First thing on the "Do" list: Separate yourself from your old life. I know it's no fun to leave friends, family, and familiar places forever, but you should. You're going to change your identity, so whoever is following you won't be able to track you down. Where you go depends on whether you want hot weather and a quiet life of anonymity, or long, cold winters with hordes of screaming fans chanting your name.

If you want Quiet Anonymity, you're going to become a Professional Gambler. Not a big-stakes, glitz-and-glamour World Tournament gambler, but a quietly-building-substantial-wealth-through-years-of-moderate-wagers gambler. I hope you like desert heat, because you're moving to Las Vegas.

Once there, you'll set up a routine. Each "working" day you'll make the rounds of a few hundred slot machines. You don't want to be seen frequenting the same ones, so go different places every day. Fortunately, almost every business has a few machines, even grocery stores and churches, so you could check a hundred slots a day, and never visit the same place twice in a year. Drop a few coins in some losing machines, then find a winner. Take your money, and move on. You want jackpots of no more than a few hundred dollars, so don't play the big money slots. Remember, don't draw attention to yourself. You should be able to gross over six figures with only a few hours of "work" each day!

Learn Baccarat and have a few sessions at the tables each month. Lose every fifth or sixth hand, and don't win more than a few thousand dollars at any one place. Again, switch around. You don't want to be recognized as a regular winner (Casinos only love big winners if they're also big losers). You'll quickly build a comfortable retirement fund. (The IRS will be interested in your winnings, so you'll have to declare something. I can't advise you to conceal anything from them, but who can keep track of all that cash?)

If you crave attention, move to Canada, strap on your skates and become a pro hockey goalie. Your "preflexes" will allow you to know where the puck is going to be, so stopping it will be comparatively easy. Your phenomenal success will quickly draw offers from the top teams, and fame and adulation (from hockey fans, anyway) will be yours. Nobody else pays any attention to hockey, so your ability will essentially remain secret.

Whether you select gambler or goalie, chances are you'll eventually end up in a dangerous situation where your ability will mean the difference between life and death, but that's to be expected. Until then, I hope you find happiness in your new life, whichever direction you choose!

Good luck, and let me know how it comes out!

-- Dr. Eldritch