The Year is 1995. The place is Kansas City. Carl Cloutier and I are among a handful of magicians from the North who have descended upon Stevens Magic emporium to shoot a two-volume video set called The Magic of Canada. The magnanimous Joe Stevens tries to make us feel more at home by serving maple syrup and being polite. It works – everyone’s in a great mood. During a break, Carl and I wander over to the vending machines, and while he’s dropping in coins, I’m toying with a deck of cards. Then I see the “insert dollar bills” slot and riff a card trick that would make a Collector’s Workshop proud. Here’s what you do.

Have a care chosen and returned to the deck. Control it to the top via your preferred method, then execute a Double Turnover. Say, “Is this your card?” The spectator will answer, “No,” to which you respond, “Then I have good news.” Turn the double card face down on the deck, then deal the top card into your right hand and say, “We’re standing next to a magic vending machine.”

With your right hand, insert the face-down card into the slot for dollar bills. The machine will pull it in, then reject it, whereupon you turn it over, showing it to have changed into the spectator’s selection.