I’m Just Trying to Get to The Goose

I’ve said it before; I’ll say it again.

“I’m Just Trying To Get to The Goose”
-Jay Sankey

Root:
Let’s remember our roots. This month’s root: Lay People Are NOT Magicians. Sure, every lay-folk has an uncle Earl who tortures them with the dreaded 21 card trick, and many lay people even know a trick or two themselves. But just because I change my spark plugs, that doesn’t mean I’m a mechanic, and I certainly would never allow someone with my skill set to work on my car. We, all too often, think way too hard about our magic, method and material. We over complicate everything. Jay Sankey points (or used to point) this out in his lecture. He talks about how magicians will often do a card trick . . . then the backs change colors . . . then you produce coins from the cards . . . then you produce a jumbo coin . . . then you open up your coat and a goose flies out. To Paraphrase Jay Sankey: after years of experience, I try to streamline my magic. Now, “I’m just trying to get the goose.”

When I heard  Jay say that, it stuck with me like a bad llama cake on a cold Turkish night. Sure you might fry a magician or two when the backs change colors and the jumbo coin appears, but the real punch line is the goose. So why not just produce the goose? Metaphorically speaking of course. The point I’m shooting for here is to remind you that lay people don’t think like we do. If you do this month’s branch described below, you’ll see exactly what I mean. However, I’m pretty sure that many of you will read the branch and completely dismiss it as a waste of time. Try it. You’ll change your mind.

Branch:
Let’s build our branches. I want you to perform one particular trick (I’ll get to it in a minute) for at least 20 different laypeople. I want them to be people you don’t know, or at the very least who have never seen you do a magic trick. Here’s the trick and the patter and everything:

Magi: I’d like to test your short term memory

Action: Show the Ace of Spades. Place it face down on the table

Magi: What color is the card I just placed on the table?

Spec: Black.

Magic: I can see why you would say that, because there is some black there, but what other color is it?

Spec: (likely will say) White (the color of the rest of the face of the card. Or they may say) Blue (the color of the back of the card).

Magi: Correct. It has all of those colors, but you didn’t mention the yellow, the silver and the other colors

Action: Turn over the face down card to reveal that it’s not the Ace of Spades, but rather the Queen of Spades (or some other face card).

That’s it folks. Method? A double lift. I’m telling you that this will fool a lay person, and it will feel like real magic to them. You’ll never fool a magician with this – not unless you come up with some crazy way of switching the cards that he’s never seen, but for a lay person, a simple low-tech double lift is the key. Try it. You’ll be amazed at the response you get  – as amazed as the spectator is at the effect. Lay People Are NOT Magicians . . . don’t treat them like they are.

Now go study the classics, and go discover your true magical self.

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