Sunday Afternoon Magic

What a great thing this hobby of mine has become!
What a mammoth learning experience.
I set up the Sunday show, late Saturday night for 2pm the next day.
The folks I would be performing for were heading back to real life that afternoon.
About 1 pm my wife asked if it was alright to take the girls, Katie and Jenni to the Ocean Shores Community Center. I said no problem as long as you get back by quarter of two.
I had already run thru my set for the show and was just chillin' before performing.
Well, Joan got back in time, but we had a few snags and we got going late.
I Hate being LATE!
Plus, I wanted to be early to have a few minutes to set up, maybe ten minutes would be all I would need.
Anyway, we arrive late, I'm fuming, but hopefully not showing it outwardly, and my friend Dale has forgotten his lap top which we would use for playing the cd during the Vanishing Bandanna effect. He offered to return and get it, and I reluctantly agreed.
I set up after greeting everyone, some which I know sorta well, Joey played softball with Dale and I back in the day, and his wife was our score keeper. That's when I got to know their children.We were bigger than life to them!
Anyway, as all good entertainer's must do... I stalled!
I decided to perform some card magic for the young ladies, they were 13 or 14, and one was 15.
I opened with the Biddle Trick and it went over splendidly!
Moved into the One Eyed Jack Sandwich with a few other members of my audience (funny that, My audience!)... this was the best this effect ever played. I learned a valuable line to say during this performance. That is sweet!
That segued into my three card finale of Paperclipped.
Oh my! The reaction... Fantastic!
The young man's exact words were, and they were loud.."Holy Cow!"
The line I used that I want to remember is, you both selected the exact same card.
It played better than it sounds.
Dale had returned in the middle of Paperclipped and it was perfect timing!
Thanks Dale!
So on with the show!
A little one finger warm up to begin, then a really nice three card cut out effect that involves three participants but plays for the whole audience. Three different spectators choose a random card. They show it to everyone else while my back is turned so they are all in on it! I then proceed to cut out their card in a single sheet of newspaper. It's a nice piece for a warm up or an MC piece. This effect has developed into a nice, fun piece of magic with some fun, and funny patter lines that I repeat with each succeeding card, almost as a running gag.

Now some real magic! Chinese Sticks! This went especially well, and the lines were wonderful, An invisible frog hair indeed, kind of salty, ew!
Acrobatic Knot had some nice ooh's and ahh's from the spectators too.
Cut and restored rope with Professors Nightmare ending was next and it too went really nice.
Followed that up with a fun, entertaining piece of magic called lassoing a card, this is a wonderful effect that plays very nice! The magician in trouble effect!
Vanishing Bandanna and egg bag. I wish I had pictures of those because the girl I used in the bag trick was wonderful, her name is Jade.
I ended with the cups and balls and of course...
It is always a great ending!
But here is where the learning begins!
After the show, as people were loading up, and checking things twice in order to leave.
I soon realized they wanted some more. It's not too hard to figure out when a group of three or four children have you surrounded.
So, I went into the Crazy Man's Hand Cuffs.
I think I aced this trick by the reactions it got. It wasn't long and soon the group around me grew to include several adults.
I launched into Jumping Gems and this too got a huge reaction, as did the Hot Rod, and Amazing Jumping Arrow.
I left it at that, but here's the point.
Perception.
These people were expecting a magician... and that's what they saw!
Magic!
Monday, while performing for the wonderful Doctor.
I was and am his patient and friend, he knew me before I got into magic.
It takes a little more work to be a magician for people like that.
Next Monday I'll see him again and plan on leaving a signed card on his ceiling.
I also left him with a copy of my dvd that has five stage effects performed live.
We'll see how it goes!

One final note.
Does this older fellow look at all familiar?

He is Jay Leno's uncle, Bill. He is pictured here with our friend Dale. Mr. Leno as we all call him, coached Dale and his own sons in Little League forty years ago.
I almost got on their team but was selected by another.
Do you see the family resemblance? In their jaw line?