Trix gone wild!

Nothing worse than a bondage trick gone bad! The magician thought to himself, while trying to figure out what just went wrong on the spot, and now how to cover for it.

It was simple a trick. Take a solid ring and a rope, or yarn. Tie the ring to the middle of the rope, and mystically make the ring melt through the rope, and off into his hand. Nothing to it. It's one of those rare tricks, nearly self working, that you can do over and over again, as many times as the audience wants. It just a elongated slip knot, but not exactly the kind people are use to seeing in daily life. Pulled one way it's impossible to free, but move center strand just off center, and it nearly flies off by itself.

There were several things in error on this attempt though. First was a stretchable cotton cord, that was like good shoe laces, that could get tighter around the loops. Secondly, using a 7 inch wide Chinese Linking Ring, made a huge surface area, which made the loop almost impossible to slip over the edge, particularly in a mysterious fashion. The third mistake that doomed the trick, was picking two very strong football players, to play tug of war with the rope, rather than having one guy hold it between his outstretched arms.

vintage poster deleted

The trick was foolproof. Done it a million times in close up acts. But not a scale size, large enough to be seen by room full of 300 people. The ring tethered tight 4 feet above the floor, and there was no freeing it from the clutches of 17 year old jocks who had fallowed instructions right to the letter. It was like they had beaten him again at his own game, just short of the embarrassment of a super atomic wedgie, in the middle of the cafeteria.

"Thank you gentlemen for proving the ring is in fact solid!" Was a lame retreat, but the only way out of this pickle, and on with the show. For days afterward people asked what went wrong, proving how lame the exit plan was.

For those of you who wonder, yes, this is a true story of my life. Why, I'm sharing it with you, I have no idea? It's just came to mind. Maybe, because on this blog I'm sharing secrets? And there is nothing more precious to the Magician than his secrets, as you all know.

Actually to the magician it's the triple blink, "take" of wonder and puzzlement, that is the most precious thing. But under stage lighting, you can't see it on the audience's faces. But there is nothing worse to have, than their pity. Down right embarrassing to the fearless junior wizard in training, second class. Kinda makes my shorts pinch up to this day!

It was at that moment, that I was glad I was not an escape artist like my dear friend, and classmate, Mike Griffin. I'm sure I would have been smashed to a cube in no time, doing things like that. Less "the amazing", and more like "Super Dave", for sure! Yeah, you would enjoy that...er!