Confessions from the Top Hat

As some of you may know from reading my Biog that I am a magician in my spare time ( what little of that I get).
I have entertained the young, the noble and the very ancient in my time.

I did a show a few years ago at an old folks home. Among the residents were many who were senile and consequently very generously medicated.
I had not played a venue like this before and did not know quite what to expect.

I was ushered into the room where I was to entertain. Its layout was not ideal from a magicians point of view as I had to perform with my back to a glass wall that overlooked a main corridor.

Putting that aside I began to entertain my audience who were a mixture of staff and the more mentally aware of the residents.
It was hard going to begin with, the staff were enjoying the tricks and jokes but the residents seemed a little distant and unresponsive.
So I brought out my mind reading vulture Herman.
This seemed to do the trick. The audience started laughing so much I began to relax into the act, I was in my element and doing great. The laughter came with so little effort I was elated.

At the end of my brief performance the staff thanked me and then apologised for the disruption during my act.
Disruption what disruption I never noticed any, I told them.
It was then that I was informed that in the corridor behind me during my act an elderly female resident had stripped completely naked and was running up and down behind me pursued by staff members in a comic performance that reflected an old Benny Hill show sketch.
In fact nobody had been watching me at all, they prefered the inhouse entertainment.

I have since learned from that experience, never perform with your back to a glass wall and never ever accept gigs at old folks homes.

That is SO cool. I had a phase of that as a kid. Wand, trick top had, scarlet-lined black cape, etc. Lacked the discipline.

A few years ago I met a Canadian close-up magician named Anders. This guy can literally take your watch and wallet while you're talking to him. I have a lot of respect for people who do this stuff

Thank you Lin.
I have never had a stripper gran as a support act before.

David,

You are amazing. Who did you get this gift from--you Mother or Father?


Are your siblings this way?

Funny story, David.
Have you considered having a stripper as part of your act?

Briefly Abe.

My mother was in a nursing home for five years and we attended many performances of brave people willing to perform before this sleepy audience.

One time a man had a dummy and the dummy pretended to fall in love with my daughter, asked her to come up and sang her a love song. My mother smiled and laughed and thought it was the greatest thing in the world.

We just never know what is going to make these people smile. I'm sure your act added to the whole entertainment venue.

Carol

Thank you Carol,

Alice, my father was a piano player and had his own dance band so I guess it comes from his gene pool. My daughter Sarah-Joy attends a dance school in her spare time. So far she is the only offspring with talent.

Dear David,
I wish I could have been there with the movie camera. You would be famous for sure.

What a nice gentle wit you have, and a lovely way with your words, and nice stories to tell. I find everything you write just beautiful and fun. So much of writing is so hard these days in the story line, and all the murder and shooting and death. But you have a talent that soothes me. It is fun. I am fed up to my eyeballs with the intensiy of dying. I hope you understand me. I love your work. You are great.

Love,
Betty

LOL! True.
How close you came to becoming a YouTube legend.

If only I had a camera that day but I'm certain the sight of naked crinkly flesh would not have been pleasant as the poor elderly lady in question was not a playboy center fold.