In character with Laurie McQuary

Published 12:00 am Thursday, August 9, 2012

Laurie McQuary wants people to know she doesn’t have all the answers. But she knows some of them. More than a few. The nationally renowned psychic sees private clients in her Lake Oswego office, but it was a consult with police that led to her biggest prize.

Laurie McQuary: I met my husband on a police case, a missing woman in Lake Oswego. He was the detective. The family asked me to work on it. I gave them 30 facts on the case. They gave those to Detective Lee, who in turn contacted me and had the audacity to say, “I want to take you to lunch. I want to check you out.”

Portland Tribune: That is one of the most creative pickup lines I’ve heard in a while.

McQuary: It didn’t serve him well. I said, “I’ll send you a brochure, you don’t need to take me to lunch.” He said, “No, I really want to take you to lunch.” It was June 3, 1986.

Tribune: That’s impressive. I can’t remember the date I met my wife. Let’s hope she isn’t reading this. Anyway, do psychics also have extraordinary memories?

McQuary: Sometimes. We went to lunch and 29 of the 30 facts proved right on target. He said on TV, “I was so impressed with her I married her.”

Tribune: Which should not have surprised you. As a psychic you know if a guy is interested, right? Wasn’t that sort of cheating?

McQuary: When I came back from lunch my two office people, one was a therapist and the other a secretary, they both said at the same time, “You’re going to marry that guy.”

Tribune: But did you know it?

McQuary: No. I felt an attraction.

Tribune: What’s the weirdest request you’ve had from a client?

McQuary: Usually they’re not funny. I had a woman come in about a year and a half ago. I connected with her immediately, she was very nice. And she admitted to me that she had done a mercy killing. I went home just about crying, I didn’t know what to do with that information.

Tribune: Why had she come to you?

McQuary: Maybe she wanted to know if I could get in contact with his spirit and see if it was OK. I’ve had people admit to me things you cannot believe.

Tribune: Do you think you were born with psychic abilities?

McQuary: I had a head injury. A horse fell on my head and I was in a coma for three weeks. I was transported to a hospital and they gave me last rites. I remember none of it. I came out of that coma, and I consider it a coma, and started having precognitive dreams of plane crashes. I would dream them, and within three days I would read them in the newspaper.

Tribune: Do you ever get lighter cases?

McQuary: People have called me and said, “I’ve lost my Ralph Lauren raincoat, will you help me find it?”

Tribune: What do you say?

McQuary: I think you left it at the restaurant.

People have asked me about lottery numbers. I had one win. We go to Palm Springs every year for a week. This woman knew who I was and she said, “Give me lottery numbers.” I did. I wrote them out. A year later we go back to the same resort and I said, “Where is Chris?” (I was told), “Oh, she moved. She won $5,000 in the lottery.” I said, “Damn, where’s my finders fee?”

People make their own jokes. I say, “Drive carefully.” And they say, “Why?”

They’re thinking I’m seeing something.