Bob Cassidy - Side Effects

 

 

 As though we'd lost lost all count count of time, time,  And so must must climb climb for evermore. evermore. Yet, all too soon, we reached the door— The black, sun-blistered lighthouse-door, That gaped for us ajar.  From - “Flannan Isle” Wilfrid Wilson Gibson

It’s not what you do that counts. It’s what they think you do. - David Lustig

 

Bob Cassidy

 

Side Effects – an e-book ©2003 by Robert E Cas Cassidy sidy All rights reserv reserved. ed.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas 1907

Fifteen year old Alvin Thompson and Carlo, his water spaniel, spent the morning hunting before they headed to the old fishing hole. That’s where they met the stranger. He was a city slicker, judging by his store-bought clothes and fishing rod, but he  was friendly enough and d didn’t idn’t seem to mind that C Carlo, arlo, who wa wass now spla splashing shing about in the pond, had effectively ended his hopes of catching a quick lunch. The man laughed at the dog’s antics and Carlo, happy to meet a new friend, dashed out of the water and dropped a wet stick at the man’s feet. “Throw it out into the pond,” Alvin said, smiling proudly. “He wants to show you  what a good swimmer he is.” The man tossed the stick out into the pond and, at the same time, Carlo bolted into the water, snatching the stick in his jaws the moment it bobbed up to the surface and swiftly swimming it back ashore, where he dropped it again at the man’s feet.

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The game continued until Carlo finally decided to chase after a crow who had begun heckling him from a nearby tree. Turning to the boy, the man said, “That sure is a fine dog you have there, son. You wouldn’t be interested in selling him, would you?” “Oh, no sir, I couldn’t do that,” Alvin replied. “I could never sell Carlo. It wouldn’t be right. I raised him since he was a pup and taught him everything he knows. He’s the best hunting dog in the whole county, probably in all of Arkansas. There ain’t nothing he can’t find and fetch.” They sat silently for a moment and the boy’s eyes lingered for a moment on the store-bought fishing pole that lay at the man’s side. “But I tell you what I will do, mister. Would you like to make a bet?” “I’ve been known to place a wager on occasion, “ replied the man. “What sort of a bet did you have in mind?” The boy picked up a rock and removed a knife from the pocket of his overalls. He scratched an ‘X’ across the rock and said, “I’ll bet you that if you throw this here rock out into the middle of the pond, where its about thirty feet deep, that Carlo can dive down and fetch it back.” “And what if he can’t?” asked the man. “I guess you win Carlo, then. But if he does do it, I win your fishing pole.” The city man, barely hiding his eagerness, took the bet. When Carlo returned, having chased off the obnoxious corvine heckler, the boy showed him the rock. Carlo sniffed at it and Alvin handed it to the man who tossed it to the deepest part of the pond. Carlo swam out to where the rock hand landed and dove underwater. After about fifteen seconds, he came back to the surface and swam ashore. In his mouth was a wet rock that he dropped at the man’s feet. The man picked it up and saw it had the ‘X’ on it. “Well, I guess I’ll just take that fishing pole, then,” said the boy. The man laughed. “C’mon, boy, I was only kidding with you. I wouldn’t bet an expensive pole like that against no mongrel dog.” The boy, who wasn’t smiling anymore, said, “He’s a spaniel, mister. A water spaniel. “ I have another bet for you,” he continued as he picked up his .22 rifle and pulled the bolt, “You hold onto that rock and I bet I can shoot it out of your hand.” The man gave Alvin the fishing pole.

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Bob Cassidy

 Years later when when he re related lated the incid incident, ent, Alvin laugh laughingly ingly added, ““Now Now Carlo wa wass a really smart dog but I never believed in taking chances. About a week before I covered the bottom of that pond with about three hundred rocks that had ‘X’s’ on them. I didn’t  want the damn damn dog comin coming g up with the wrong rock.” By that time, though, nobody nobody called him Alv Alvin in anymore. He had become th the e greatest proposition hustler hustler of his era and was known as Titanic Thompson, a name still spoken with reverence when old-time gamblers meet.

Paris, France 1925

The two men sat sat across from each other other in the Parisian café café.. The Count, who ha had d been reading the newspaper, circled an article with his pencil and tossed it to the table in front of the other man. “Look at this, Danny. Do you see the possibilities?” Dan Collins was an American whom the Count employed as his personal aide. He picked up the paper and read the story the Count had marked. It was about the failing condition of the Eiffel Tower and its high maintenance costs. Built in 1889 for the Parisian Exposition, the article pointed out that the tower was never intended to be a permanent monument. In fact, it was supposed to have been taken down in 1909. Danny looked up at the Count. “I don’t get it, Vic. Where’s the angle?” “It seems there is some sentiment that the tower is not worth saving. This, Danny, presents us with an excellent opportunity.” Collins smiled knowingly. “I get it. You want to raise money to save the tower, right? “No, Danny. I propose to sell it.” Had anyone else made the suggestion, Dan Collins would have laughed aloud. But Victor “The Count” Lustig was the man who had, two years previously, conne conned d Al Capone out of five thousand dollars. Given the obviously fatal consequences of failure, it  was a scam scam that only an idiot or gen genius ius would e even ven consider. And Lustig w wasn’t asn’t an idio idiot. t. Capone never even realized that he’d been conned. If Victor Lustig said he was going to sell the Eiffel Tower, Danny had no doubt that he could pull it off.

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   Victor laid out the key pa parts rts of his p plan lan and in th the e weeks th that at followed, they  worked out the the details. Wh What at followed was one o off the greates greatestt masterpiece masterpiecess of decep deception tion ever seen. ____________________________________ Using forged government stationery proclaiming him to be “Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs”, Lustig sent letters to six major scrap metal dealers, inviting them to a private meeting at the prestigious Hotel Crillon, to discuss a matter of pressing importance to the government of France. He played his role perfectly as he explained to the businessmen that the costs of maintaining the Eiffel Tower could no longer be justified. “But as you are certainly aware, gentlemen, there would undoubtedly be a great public outcry should our decision to sell the tower for scrap be revealed prematurely prematurely.. The plan, therefore, is to remain a strict secret until all arrangements have been made. “You have been selected to attend this meeting because of your reputations as honest businessmen. And to me has fallen the responsibility of determining who among  you will be selected to carry out the task. Before I d discuss iscuss with you the man manner ner in which bids are to be submitted, however, I invite all of you to accompany me on an inspection tour of the tower.” The businessmen were taken, in a rented limousine, to the tower where Lustig showed off the nearly 15,000 prefabricated parts from which it had been constructed.  With the eye of a maste masterr con artist, he carefully wa watched tched the m men en and obs observed erved their reactions. When they got back to the hotel, he reminded them that the matter was to be kept secret and advised them that bids had to be submitted by the following day. But Lustig had no intention of accepting the highest bid. Instead, he would select the best “mark.” And he had alread already y decided who th that at would be.  Andre Poisson Poisson was obv obviously iously the mo most st eager of the prospec prospects ts and also exhibited a certain insecurity about his status in the business community. Lustig sensed that Poisson saw the proposition as a rare opportunity to establish himself as a major player in the scrap metal business. Back at the café, Lustig explained the situation to Collins. “This is our man, Danny. Tomorrow I will accept his bid and tell him that the contract is to be completed within the week. Make certain our bird does not stray from the nest.” Collins understood. He was to make sure the mark wasn’t spooked. If Poisson started asking the right people the wrong questions, the results could be disastrous.

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The next day, Poisson received the happy news. In less than a week, he was to complete the deal and receive the documents that would convey the legal title to the Eiffel Tower. He areturned to histo hotel, anxious toauthorities tell his wife of their good had no idea that man known the American as “Dapper Dan”fortune. - and toHe his fellow cons as “The Invisible Man” - was right behind him. That night, in the room adjoining the Poisson’s suite, with his ear pressed to a glass he held against the wall, Danny realized that things were starting to come apart. Far from being happy at the news her husband brought, Madam Poisson was suddenly suspicious. “Why all of the secrecy?” she asked, “And why must the deal be completed so soon and in cash? And what does the Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs have to do with the Eiffel Tower? You must make certain, Andre, before you enter into such a deal, that this man is who he claims to be.” Before she’d finished tarnishing her husband’s enthusiasm, finally extracting a promise from him to visit the Ministry to confirm Lustig’s identity, Danny was already outside hailing a cab. Within twenty minutes, he delivered the news to Victor. “I guess that’s it, then,” said Danny. “Do we pull up stakes?”  Victor thought for for a moment and then sm smiled. iled. “Of cours course e not, Danny Danny.. I’ll simply have to prove to him that I am the man he wants me to be.” ___________________________________________ Poisson received a message the next morning summoning him to another meeting  with the “Deputy “Deputy Ministe Minister.” r.” When he arrived, Lustig invited him fo forr a walk on Place de la Concorde. As they strolled, Lustig said, “I must discuss a matter with you that requires r equires some discretion. I very much want to complete the deal with you next week, but I think  you should know that y yours ours was no nott the highest bid. I am, y you ou understan understand, d, a mere civ civil il servant. Successful businessmen businessmen such as you often don’t realize how difficult it is for a government employee to maintain a comfortable lifestyle for his wife and children. You do understand, don’t you?” Poisson smiled and seemed as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. He understood perfectly. He was being asked for a bribe! The minister was the type of government official Poisson was used to dealing with. He needed no further confirmation of the man’s identity. days train later to theVienna deal was complete and Victor Lustig and Dan Collins left France Several on the next 6

 

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  Not only had Victor Lustig sold the Eiffel Tower, he’d received a bribe as a bonus. Lustig never revealed exactly how much cash was in the satchel they carried, but it  was obviously obviously substantia substantial. l. He’d read his mark perf perfectly ectly and w wasn’t asn’t the le least ast bit surpris surprised ed that Poisson, totally embarrassed by the affair, never reported it to the police. _________________________________________________________ .

 What, you may may ask, do these stories have to do with mentalis mentalism? m? And wha whatt is the significance of the lighthouse on Flannan Isle? The former question is answered in the pages that follow. The answer to the latter you must discover for yourself. I’ve taken several dramatic liberties with the stories you’ve just read. I really have no idea what Victor Lustig and Danny Collins actually said to each other back in 1925, nor can anyone be sure why Titanic Thompson went to so much trouble just to win a fishing pole. (Although I strongly suspect that the stranger from the city wasn’t the last sucker to bet against Carlo’s prowess as a search and recovery diver.) But it’s a matter of record that Lustig sold the Eiffel Tower – in fact, he did it twice, but the second time his mark went to the authorities, prompting Victor to flee to America. He continued his career selling “money making machines” to people who should have known better but didn’t because Lustig had a talent for making everything seem so reasonable. It was only when he took up counterfeiting that the law finally caught up  with him. Lustig died in Alcatraz priso prison n in 1947. He may hav have e sold the Eiffel Towe Tower, r, but in the end, he bought a piece of the rock.

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Bob Cassidy

I quoted an observation by David Lustig (no relation to Victor) on page two. Those few mentalists and psychic entertainers who achieved public fame in the last century proved Lustig correct. In mentalism and effective magic, the truth about what the great performers actually did when they were in front of an audience has always been secondary to what the public thought  they  they did. The Thomps Thompson on story off offers ers a variatio variation n of the same idea. Whether or not the sstory tory of the diving dog is lite literally rally true, or if Thompson just made it up – as is quite possible, is secondary to the real truth it contains. The strangerwas placed his betHe against dog’s that abilities because that what abilities he thought the proposition all about. neverthe realized it was actually theisboy’s he was up against. Similarly, while it is historically true that Victor Lustig sold the Eiffel tower, the practical truth the story contains is illustrated by Poisson’s “discovery” that Lustig had to be a government official because he solicited a bribe in return for granting the contract – something that only a corrupt government official would have a motive to do in the circumstances. Lustig’s true brilliance as a con man [and, I believe, the reason that the time has come to establish ‘The Victor Lustig Educational Foundation’] was his ability to let peop people le discover ffor or themselves the very things he wanted them to discover.  All of the foregoing foregoing can be summarized aass  THE LAW OF SIDE EFFECTS  Things we think we have discovered or confirmed for ourselves are more likely to lead us to belief and conviction than things we are told or shown by others. What’s REALLY going on has nothing to do with it.

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“If you build it, they will come” - Field of Dreams “When the facts differ from the legend, print the legend. If there’s no legend, invent one.” - R. Delacroix

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Side Effects

  One of the inherent difficulties in presenting effective mentalism is that it generally lacks the element of surprise. The performer states that he will read a thought and proceeds to do so. He says he will predict tomorrow’s headlines headlines and he does. Many  would-be mentalists mentalists infallib infallibly ly demonstrate so many dif different ferent alleged mental pow powers ers that the element of believability is lacking as well. By applying the ‘Side Effects” principle, the element of surprise is returned to the art and variety is introduced into a performance without sacrificing believability. My good friend Ross Johnson, one of the finest mentalists in the world today, created the following effect, which illustrates the principle perfectly. perfectly. He didn’t give me a name for it, but since it illustrates the type of side effect I like refer to as a ‘Mind Freeze,’ I’ll call it

Ross Johnson’s ‘Mind Freezer’ [NOTE: Effects employing the “Side Effects” principle are difficult to describe in the traditional manner. This iseffect because areeffect actually or more effects happeningEffect/Method at the same time – the main and there the side (s).two In some instances the side effect has nothing whatsoever to do with the main effect and appears to occur independently of what the performer is doing.] EFFECT: (As seen without the side effect)

 A spectator is asked to think of som someone eone who h has as passed away and to print that person’s name on a piece of paper. The paper is folded and destroyed, preferably in a somewhat ritualistic manner. The performer then describes the decedent, reveals the name, and delivers a message from beyond to any living persons who may be present at the demonstration. That is the basic premise of the effect and, as such, is a rather standard demonstration.  THE SIDE EFFECT:

 We will assume assume that the name bearing the name o off the dead person is be being ing burned. The performer gazes into the flames and tells the subject to concentrate on reaching the other side. He begins to describe a person and give the initials of the name. He looks at the volunteer and says, for example, “Julie?” The spectator responds in the negative, the name makes no sense to her. The performer says, “I’m not talking to you. I’m getting a message for Julie.” Pointing to a spectator toward the side or rear of the room, he says. “You are Julie? Yes? There is someone here with the initials B. L. Does this make sense to you? The name is Betty?”

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Bob Cassidy

The performer is correct of course, and depending on the nature of his presentation successfully reveals re relevant levant info information rmation abou aboutt Betty – including, perhaps, a message from her to Julie. He can end the demonstration here, or, if he chooses, he can now go back to the first spectator and reveal information and a possible communication from the first spectator’s dear departed. METHODS:

Don’t jump to the conclusion that I am advocating a John Edward type approach to the presentation. It could be just as easily presented by asking the first spectator to concentrate on the name of a FAMOUS dead person, and then picking up the name of a FAMOUS person being thought of by someone else. The element of surprise is introduced when the performer unexpectedly picks up something that has nothing to do  with the first first spectator’s selection. This is the type of presentational ploy that gives the impression that the performer is not totally in control of what happens during the performance. And, for the reasons discussed earlier, this can be an extremely convincing. The actual method is secondary to the effect. Ross suggests that my Mind Razor concept would work well here as a way of building up a ritualistic type of presentation, but the primary effect can be accomplished just as easily with a billet switch, peek, Jaks  wallet or center center tear. The side effect with the second spectator is the result of the simplest sort of preshow work. The mentalist has either secretly obtained information relevant to the second spectator, or has approached her prior to the performance, asking that she concentrate on the name of someone who has passed to the other side for the purpose of an experiment that will be conducted during the program. She is, of course, asked to jot the name down on slip of paper “as an aid to concentration”, thus affording the mentalist the opportunity to employ one of the aforementione aforementioned d methods to discern her thought. Since the distribution of this e-book has been limited to those who have represented themselves themselves to be proficient in the basics of mentalism, the actual methods require no further discussion. The point of the effect is to illustrate a straightforward application of the “Side Effect” principle. ___________________________________ The basic idea of picking up random thoughts is not new, of course. What I am suggesting, however, is that the approach should be used frequently. It should be clear, of course, that the performer generally is successful in performing the feats he sets out to perform, but his success should not be a foregone conclusion to the audience.

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The use of the ‘Side Effects’ principle adds a sense of free association and spontaneity to a mentalism program. While a presentation should be a well-rehears well-rehearsed ed sequence of pre-planned effects, it  shouldn’t seem to be. An audience should be le left ft  with the conclusion conclusion that th they’ve ey’ve witn witnesses esses a d demonstration emonstration o off mental pow powers, ers, NOT th that at they’ve just witnesses a mental ACT. We should remember that words like ‘routine’, ‘act’, ‘effect’, ‘props’ and, God forbid, ‘trick’, are words we use to describe and discuss mentalism among ourselves – they are not words that belong in the vocabulary of our performing persona. Other ways that the principle is applied during a stage presentation :

In presenting a book test, occasionally force words that can result in interesting misunderstandings. misunderstandin gs. When a participan participantt selects the word "nothing" or concentrate concentratess on a blank page, the results are usually very entertaining. Most experienced performers take effective advantage of the situation when a selection like this is made. Few, however, intentionally include sequences sequences like this in their shows. {NOTE: The old “No” gag –  where the performer write writess down a w word ord and ask askss a specta spectator tor if he know knowss what it is, showing that the spectator is correct when he says “no” is NOT and example of the side effect. It is, instead, an obviously intentional comic play on word. Side effects cannot appear to be preplanned or their entire purpose is defeated. Keep getting an impression of something odd during the program - a strange word that seems to make make no sense. “Is aanyone nyone thinking of ___?” ___?” Later, force the w word ord in a book test - or better yet, keep getting the impression of the name of a place or city - no one relates to it (but, if it is an "off the wall" place and someone does find it relevant – and this happens very often - it will be a memorable hit.) Pepper your act with random cold-reading probes - not addressed to anyone in particular, but giving the impression that you are constantly being bombarded with thoughts. One of the unintentional inconsiste inconsistencies ncies in many mentalists’ personas is that they act and seem so normal when they are not doing their tests. Wouldn't real abilities along these lines naturally produce unforeseen side effects and sometimes be as general pain in the ass? (More about this when I discuss the second type of side effect.) Be puzzled about many of the things you receive, but don't act as if they really surprise you. You are accustomed to seemingly meaningless thoughts popping into your head.

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Bob Cassidy

Search for the synchronous - this is reminiscent of Harbin’s thought-card test and may be dismissed by many - too bad. Relate mundane events that happened to you during the day as if they  happened to some unknown person in the audience.  More often than not, you will uncover  interesting and often amazing coincidences. The synchronous hit can be very dramatic but you have to look for it. (It’s not uncommon for audience members to get into this as well – many of them find strange coincidences all over the place – which is why conspiracy theories have always been popular. Again, goesiftothey the discovered basic rule- IT DOESN’T MATTER IF SOMETHING LITERALLY TRUE OR itNOTit for themselves – or were “permitted”IS tothey are very likely going to believe it.*) I believe that the preceding paragraph contains one of the most powerful secrets I have ever used as a performer. __________________________________ *This is analogous to a quaint old English proverb, which, for reasons of good taste, I have edited out of the foregoing text – “Each manne liketh the smelle of his owne farte”

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The Second Type of Side Effect – (The odd things that just seem to happen whenever you are around)

There are, as I’ve said, two types of side effects. The first is the unexpected new direction taken taken by the demon demonstration. stration. I refer to them as Mind Fre Freezers ezers (a euphe euphemistic mistic reference to effects properly known as MF’s). The second are unexpected happenings as  well, but they they seemingly have no cconnection onnection wh whatsoever atsoever to the effect being presen presented. ted. They are weird and strange things that just seem to happen wheneve wheneverr the performer is around. They are memorable little things that people remember about a performer long after his program is over.

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The most common examples are unexpected physical phenomena. (An unexplained noise, television static, radio interference, a breaking glass, etc.) Tactile effects are also very strong. Annemann was known to keep an ice packet in his jacket pocket. He would secretly hold it for a while before shaking hands with someone. It is a powerful idea that is much more practical today that it was in Annemann’s time due to the ready availability of chemical ice packs that can be activated just prior to use – you can find them in any pharmacy alongside the Ace Bandages and ointments such as BenGay or Icy Hot. [BenGay, believe it or not, can be very effective when you are doing a séance routine – especially for older people. A sudden whiff of the odiferous substance often brings back memories of the dear departed who used it for just about every ailment you could imagine. A bit of thought will bring other olfactory examples to mind – the smell of a rosemary cachet can, for example, often conjure up memories of one’s childhood.]

Side Effects of the Second Kind (SEOTSK) are best used in impromptu situations – they are the sort of thing that happen you all of the time because you are, well, “different.” They are very easy to accomplish if you have the mindset of a practical joker. Many years ago, for example, I thought that I would surprise my wife by seeing what  would happen happen if I poure poured d some sta stage ge blood in th the e toilet and left it there. Her reaction  was more satisfying satisfying than I could hav have e imagined. (Th (That at was my first wife, b by y the way way.) .) This is not, of course, an example of a side effect – it is just a stupid practical joke. BUT used in the following manner it can be a perfect (if a bit over-the-to over-the-to)) application of the idea: Suppose you are doing a séance routine for a private party right around Halloween. Before your performance performance take a visit to the john and pour some stage blood into the toilet TANK. The water in the bowl will remain clear until some poor soul flushes. While this example of the side effect is somewhat outrageous, I think it gives you an idea about how practical jokes can be adapted to our purposes. To insure that things of this nature are happening whenever I am around (except  when I am at home w with ith my family or close frien friends, ds, who will no longer tole tolerate rate such antics) I have prepared a small kit that I always keep nearby. The kit includes, among other things: Chemical ice packs, Stage blood, Plate lifters,  An eye-dropper eye-dropper (used to put a sin single gle drop of w water ater in the depressed area found on the top of a used candle – the candle will burn for about thirty seconds or so before it sputters out – a very spooky prelude to a close-up sequence), sequence), Light fishing line,  An invisibleheavy-duty reel,reel,  A standard hthread eavy-duty 13

 

Bob Cassidy

Screw type eyelets eyelets (painted various colors to match most w walls alls and ceilings), Two inexpensive miniature tape recorders (the type that use mini cassettes)  A refrigerator magnet magnet that looks like a teleph telephone one (and so sounds unds just like a cell phone when you press its button),  A pocket-sized pocket-sized sound ef effects fects device that I bought at the toy store, Magician’s wax,  Assorted magnets, magnets,  Astooge small envelope enve of catn catnip, ip, rse, andis not p  A (thelope stooge, of cou course, physically hysically pla placed ced in the kit unless he is very  very tiny and and does no nott suffer from claustrophobia.) The manner in which most of these items can be employed to create side effects should be readily apparent. Others may seem a bit obscure (As an exercise in developing side effects I will leave it to you to guess how the catnip is used.) The fishing line, thread, eyelets, wax and reels are primarily used to make things fall down or move. A length of fishing line, for example, is secretly stuck to the lower corner of a hanging picture. The line runs down to one of the small eyelets - which can be screwed or waxed onto any wall in a second or two and are virtually invisible due to their small size and the fact that you have painted your supply in various neutral colors. The function of the eyelets is to allow the line to run along walls to the area where you  will be performing. performing. I usually have the end end of the line wrapped around a pen pencil, cil, which is lying in the performing performing area. The line is rolled taut e enough nough so that the m mere ere action of picking up the pencil and putting it in your pocket will cause the picture on the far wall to tilt. The former is ideal for a séance situation, but the same idea is also easily adapted to making objects fall over – and break, if you like. (That of course, is dependent on the  venue and who owns the object that will sha shatter! tter! Cheap glassware can be purchased at any dollar store and is ideal for this type of side effect.) The reels serve similar purposes, but to my mind the pencil and fishing line set-up is the most efficient and sure-fire. The sound effects device is kept in your side jacket pocket or in the pocket of a stooge. You can imagine the interesting uses to which it is put.  As I have pointed out in my other writings, the SSECRET ECRET stooge – the one who is just there, and no attention is ever drawn to him other than to possibly ask him to hold something or hand you something - has always been an extremely powerful weapon.  Amateurs tend tend to avoid stooges and many have actually sugge suggested sted that us use e of a stoo stooge ge is cheating (as if the other stuff we do is fair), but I have never met a pro who wouldn’t use one if the occasion and the effect were right.) The stooge holds the extra tape recorder, loaded with a mini tape. Here is an example of how it is put to use. (While this is not strictly a side effect, I will explain its relevance to our theme in a moment.)

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I noted on the list that the cassette recorders should be inexpensive. inexpensive. This is because you don’t want them to produce high- quality sound. A bit of hissing and background, noise is desirable as it aids in disguising the voice of the person who has been recorded.  At the outset outset of his p performance, erformance, the mentalist removes removes his ow own n recorder from his pocket and ejects the tape, which he leaves lying on the table alongside of the opened recorder. He makes nomight mention of what to thetonight’s tape is for, simply noting that he recorded something earlier that be relevant demonstration. During the demonstration, several random bits of personal information are obtained from the participants. You might elicit from one of them, for example, that she  was leaving for England in the morning. Le Lett us suppo suppose se that she is wearing glas glasses, ses, a red outfit, and is named Mary.  At the end of the dem demonstration, onstration, the performer rem remarks arks on a st strange range dream he had the night before. He asks someone to come forward and to put the mini cassette into the recorder and to press the play button. A voice comes from the tape saying words to this effect – “ I dreamt of a woman named Mary last night, who was covered in red and an English Union Jack. I have no idea what this means but I think it may have something to do with a person I will meet later today. We shall see.” The voice on the tape, of course, is not the performers. It belongs to the stooge. He slipped out of the room when the information was obtained, made the recording on his recorder, removed the tape and placed it in his pocket or simply kept it held in his closed hand. If his voice is simply the same pitch as yours - and he pronounces the words slowly and clearly while holding the recorder just far away enough from his mouth to prevent a clear recording and to allow background noise – no one will ever suspect that the voice is not yours when the tape is played at the conclusion of the demonstration. How do you switch the stooge’s tape for the one on the table and get his tape into the recorder? That’s the simple part. State that you don’t want to touch the tape and ask someone else to put it into your recorder. The ‘someone else’ is the stooge, who switches the tape for his in the act of loading the recorder. The switch is simple – he can even stand with his back to the audience if he is afraid of being caught. He is NOT part of the act, remember – no one cares that he may have poor stage presence! The effect is astounding – it has no apparent explanation and has a feeling of spontaneity about it. As you may have noted, though, it is not strictly a side effect. It is however, an excellent reminder of the rule that has governed this e-book from the beginning.  – Just as Titanic Thomp Thompson’s son’s dog Ca Carlo rlo was given all the credit for finding the rock, you are given all of the the credit for making the recording. recording. What was really going on  was undiscov and, th thus, us, nonexistent nt only as farw as the audienc audience e was concerned.  whatundiscovered you did did ered that mattere mattered d atnonexiste all. It was what hat they th thought ought youconc did.erned. It’s not 15

 

Bob Cassidy

  Knock and the door will be opened.  Ask, and you shall receive. ________________________________________________  We seemed to stand for an endless while,  Though still no word was said,  Three men alive on Flannan Isle,  Who thought, on three men dead. - Flannan Isle

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