365 Days (Part 2) | ✓

257. Magic

257. Magic: Write about a magician or magic trick.

The magic shop. That little place downtown with gaudy curtains and employees required to dress in black suits with stainless white gloves. It was narrow, reaching deep into the old building, and two glass counters lined that passage. Thick, dark red carpet covered the floor, and the walls were artfully draped with maroon curtains. People liked to come in there to be fascinated and amused. There is something apparently delightful about pretending magic exists, and that people are able to wield it. At the same time, some people are intent on finding out the mystery. They cannot bear for other people to enjoy a magic trick without forcing the knowledge of what makes it clever. I hate those type of people the worst.

The truth is, magic is more about coordination than you would expect. It's a carefully rehearsed move that allows you to quickly tuck a card underneath your sleeve while someone's eyes are elsewhere. It's also a matter of knowing your props and knowing what will hold the attention of your customer. Magic isn't hard, but there's still a minimum amount of effort required.

I've worked behind the counter for almost two years now. I know every product we offer and every regular kid that dreams of growing up to be a magician. Part of my job is that I do the magic tricks for the customers to see and be confused by. After all, how did I guess the color you were thinking? How did I remove that colored dot from the pen? It's this curiosity that leads to them buying the trick props themselves. That's when I take them back to a little room off beind the counter and show them the secret. It's always so simple. That's what I find ironic about magic: A lot of times it's extraordinarily simple. All that's required is two pins, one with one less dot. Or you switch the paper around so you can't see the pattern anymore. Or you turn the box on its side and place the lid on the wrong place so I can see what color is inside. It's so easy... but because people don't understand, they call it magic.