Bad News Mates: I'm Quitting Magic Forever

[William Draven]

Today I was playing in the weekly poker tournament at the local Hooters bar out here in Richmond, VA where I'm staying for the duration of the tour I'm on.

The waitresses all know very well that I'm a magician and it's not uncommon to get asked to do a trick every now and again. I was on the way out the door and I've already ehausted my usual ACR, prediction, and switch effects on this specific waitress in the weeks prior. She caught me on the way out and asked me for one single "last" trick before I go for the week.

I pulled out my deck of cards, took them from the box and told her to name a card RIGHT NOW. First card she thought of. She names the Five of Diamonds. I looked at her and lifted the top card off the deck and asked her if it was the Five of Diamonds, wouldn't it be the BEST card trick she's ever seen. She said yes. I turned it over, as it was an indiffrent card. I told her if that trick ever works I'd retire on sight. (Joke which people laugh at.) I go into my next phase patter. "You know it's funny that you named the five of diamonds..." Meanwhile I'm looking through the cards to cull it. No five.

Gears slip a bit in my head. I search through the deck again. No five. Everyone's looking at me, as I've drawn a crowed by now. The heats on. I give her the deck. Ask her to confirm there is no five. She confirms. Now I know I'm screwed. I have been using an older deck, I'm thinking maybe it's not a full deck and by Murphy's Law she named the ONE card that isn't there. I'm about to abort when I notice on the table that there was still a single card left in the card box. ...The Five of Diamonds.

So by virtue of my own words. I'm retiring tonight. There is nothing that I will ever be able to do that will ever come close to topping that effect. Not ever, and certainly not in that Hooters bar. As far as the girls in there are concerned, I'm a god. So.... PEACE! It's been fun.

 

[Justin.Morris]

That's hilarious. Nice.

 

[Kontents]

AWESOME!

That is just a awesome way to end it. Sucks you're out, but what a way to go out on.

 

[SHANE BLACK]

Man you ruined that girl shes going to be having nightmares now William. But you can't leave now the game still needs you.

 

[Randy]

I hear quilting and golfing is a very lucrative career. Give that a shot.

 

[William Draven]

I'm not actually going to quit. That was satire.

But I'm certainly not going to be able to top that in that specific bar any point in this life time.

 

[Randy]

Don't be so sure about that.

 

[RDChopper]

I'm not actually going to quit. That was satire.

But I'm certainly not going to be able to top that in that specific bar any point in this life time.

Actually Ben Earl's "thought of card in pocket" would match that trick

 

[LuseifHo]

Dont you love it when that happens?
happened once to me at a lecture. was bloody brilliant.
After the lecture where magicians just chill around and what ever, I was going to perform a trick where the beginning is a gag and what ever of the indifferent card.
They named a card. the 6 of hearts i think it was. I let them change it if they wanted to. They spread the deck on the floor, they pointed to a random card, and it matched. I held the secret for 2 more hours. Needless to say, they got quite pissed when I told them it was luck.

 

[RDChopper]

Needless to say, they got quite pissed when I told them it was luck.

Jesus.

Why did you told them man?

 

[praetoritevong]

Haha. I definitely know the feeling. Enjoy it.

 

[oldavid1]

Woah so much like praetoritevong's experience...thank God he didn't tell the girl beforehand that he'll quit magic if he could tell her about her house.

Ok William..now that you've had your fun, tell us how you did it. Seriously. "An old deck" is NOT a good excuse man. Is this your creation?
Jokes.

::dAvid

 

[William Draven]

As with the lecture story, I got lucky. I didn't realize that I had left a card behind in the deck bock when I pulled out the cards. It just happend that the one card I left behind was the one card she named.

There really isn't a secret, and I honestly thought I was screwed.

 

[praetoritevong]

It's actually a pretty good practice to leave a card inside the box whenever you bust out a deck. Also, glimpse the top and bottom cards before they name a card, you never know. Unless you specifically need a full deck for something...

 

[Deleted member 2755]

When I first saw this thread, I thought we were about to lose someone awesome from this board. Awesome story.

-Doug

 

[Sinful07]

Similar scenario,

Card was chosen- and beforehand i noticed that there's a slight reflection on the glass door behind the spectator. Took about half a second to confirm which card, as it was shown to the other spectator. Deck handed out, shuffled. Etc.

It basically blew everyone away. Split second impromptu patter and mechanics to the effect literally made 'Magic' happen.

Though, my story doesnt trump yours. Good on you man, Respect.

 

[RikAllen]

I was opening a routine with that gag at a party. I, however, got lucky and the card was on top...Nothing can top such a trick, so I put the cards down, took my bow, and walked away.

You, however, got away with something awesome. Glad to hear that magicians have luck on their side.

 

[William Draven]

I was opening a routine with that gag at a party. I, however, got lucky and the card was on top...Nothing can top such a trick, so I put the cards down, took my bow, and walked away.

You, however, got away with something awesome. Glad to hear that magicians have luck on their side.

Fricking awesome. Yeah after what happend to me last night I have to say It's one of those things that you just have to walk away from. Quit while your ahead and all.

I'll take luck over skill anyday. ^_~

 

[demon5magic]

GOD MAN!!!

I saw the title of this thread and FREAKED OUT!


Anyway, cool story, it's always cool when things like this happen. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Ola]

Not to top anyone off or anything, but I did sort of a similar thing today!


I work in a kindergarden, and have lots of time to play around wih a deck of cards. The kids often wants a card, and I let them steal a card now and then, so my decks are rarely complete before I get home and change to "workable" decks again.

So - while I was walking home from work, I met a group of teenagers that wanted to see some tricks, afterall, I was springing cards and flourishing, so I must've attrected some attention.
I had someone name a card while I held my cards in the left hand, and went for a pen in my coatpocket with my right hand.
He named his card, and as I went to the pocket for the pen, I felt a card down there and took it out just to have a look, a regular Bicyclecard, unlike the Stingers I was working with.
I turned it around, and it matched the card he mentioned.

"From my pocket - your card changes color as it dives out of the deck and into my jacket - the three of spades. That'll be all, and good night, Gentlemen."

"Hang on, it's not the same color, you're cheating, having a deck in the pocket, blablabla, " and out of the blue, this guy grabs my deck to show everyone that the stinger-three of spades still is in the deck.

He searches and searches, but finds no card, and then the silence comes.
I take my deck back, say "Thank you for backing up what I said - the card has changed color and jumped to the pocket - it can, of course, no longer be in the deck." And leave.


As luck would have it, some kid has probably been given the three of spades today.
And in my other pocket I found two more bicyclecards, so I imagine I've been playing three card monte or something with the bicycle three of spades.

Anyway, I imagine they're talking about it to their friends, and I'm feeling prrrretty nice.


sorry for a long reply.