Undercover Psychic
BY ELISSA BERNSTEIN

"Do you have any experience as a psychic?" The Crystal Ball Psychics Hotline director asked Sheila, a cigar hanging out of his mouth.

"Well," Sheila hesitated. "Once I predicted the weather…"

"You're hired. I like the sound of your voice."

Sheila left the office and climbed back into the unmarked Channel 82 van. "They're not too picky. Bet there's a good story here."

"Let's get you equipped with a hidden camera and microphone," said the producer of Double Scoop, the investigative report show.

The next day, Sheila started her undercover job. She whispered into the microphone. "There are 100 psychics in one room…all in little cubicles…not much privacy. After my 30 minutes of training, I'm a full fledged psychic, ready for the front lines.""Good luck, honey," called out Bernice from the next cubicle.

Sheila whispered. "That's Bernice. She helped train me."

Sheila got her first call. She scrambled to make a reading. "Okay…I'm getting something…you just broke up with your boyfriend?"

"No" said the caller.

"Uh…" Sheila stammered. "You…wish you had a boyfriend?"

"Not really." "Girlfriend?"

"NO!"

"Hmmm…" Sheila bit her lip, "Maybe you want to talk to another psychic?"

"Just what I was thinking! You really ARE psychic!" The caller was thrilled. "So, tell me…will I marry rich?"

A few days later, the producer of Double Scoop was getting frustrated. "It's not enough to show how lousy a psychic you are, Sheila. We need something hard hitting."

"Let me talk to Bernice. She's a real live wire. I can hear her from my desk."

Bernice quickly spilled the beans. "The only real thing here are the chairs we sit on. I'm about as psychic as my poodle."

Three months later, Bernice was at home watching Double Scoop with her husband and her poodle.

"Hey! It's a story on Crystal Ball Psychics! And there's Sheila…that ratfink.

And who's that dummy she

conned into giving an interview?"

Her husband cringed. "Uh…I

think that's you."

Bernice called her lawyer. "I'm

suing the station."

IN THE COURTROOM

Bernice was furious. "Your Honor, Channel 82 had no right to televise my conversation with Sheila. That was a clear invasion of privacy."

Channel 82 fought back. "Your Honor, Bernice can't expect privacy since her conversations can be overhead by coworkers."

Bernice jumped up. "But that doesn't mean Sheila could air our conversation on TV!"

Did Channel 82 invade Bernice's privacy? YOU! Be The Judge. Then look below for the court's decision.

THE DECISION

"That was an invasion of privacy," held the Judge. "In a workplace without open public access, employees have a right to expect that their conversations won't be secretly videotaped by undercover television reporters - even though those conversations aren't completely private from coworkers."