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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9982 Posts |
Posted on the Café' in 2012, but possibly more impactful today.
Best of the season for everyone ... Christmas Memory Dennis didn’t perform much magic any more, and in recent years only when the family was gathered for dinner and “catching up.” This used to mean four or five holidays a year. Nowadays, with everyone busy faking more important things, Christmas provided the only captive audience – at least if the gift exchange came after the meal and entertainment. Progressive arthritis also restricted his favorite effects to larger objects and minimal sleights. While his waning skills decreased possible mystery, cocktails and wine enhanced the astonishment. Everyone appreciated seeing grandpa “do his thing,” and the stories later told to friends and abstemious kin enhanced simple magic into incredible illusions. Christmas is like that – or used to be. Most Christmas gifts are not surprises but the manifestation of hints and ploys or outright begging. The thrill of shopping for “special item” and the chance to feign wisdom while the receiver acts surprised is part of the “gimmie” game. Thus, magic tricks fit right in – the performer pretends to do something impossible and the viewers pretend to be fooled. Most surprise comes from not seeing Dennis drop props on the floor, though astonishment occurs in spite of everyone. The family greatly appreciates the classic effects, partially because they have some idea of how the tricks are done and can appear smug and superior over their children. The other reason is that Dennis does them so well that everyone can honestly say, “never seen it better – even on YouTube.” Dennis had his favorites and believed these were the favorites of his family as well: Sympathetic Silks, Linking Rings and a series of Rope Effects. He practiced these continuously by “drinking from an empty cup.” Dennis went through the motions of each routine daily with no props, moving his hands as if holding the actual objects while subvocalizing the story. With his eyes closed he could imagine observing the presentation from afar and make minor changes if a flaw was detected. In his perception, physical limitations in anything are only an opportunity to change and improve. “Practice does NOT make perfect,” he mumbled to himself. “Perfect practice makes perfect!” A nurse asked Dennis what he had said. “Doing magic,” he replied. Laughter! “The magic is that I am here to do it again this Christmas!” She heard only “Chrismus” and “magic,” the rest garbled. The nurse chuckled and watched his strange hand movements for a while. It wasn’t unusual for an Alzheimer’s patient to act out memories with their fingers and chant gibberish, but this was extraordinary. Surprising that he knew it was Christmas. “Does he remember what that means?” she thought. “Magic? I guess it is magical for all those relatives to come by on Christmas afternoon and sit a spell.” All the nurses and staff stopped by for the annual event, though none understood what his strange sign-language conveyed or why the gathered clan applauded his antics. Such understanding came from imagination grounded in what use-ta-be, with each spectator providing images of objects to fill the dancing fingers. See the rainbow scarves and yellow rope and silver loops that ring like chimes! You can’t ask for more magic than that! Well, maybe … We look at a group of carved figurines gathered around a manger and are transported to a place distant in space and time. We imagine impossible things like peace on earth and joy in every well-fed heart. Folks sing in harmony with little care for snow and cold. Each Christmas moment proves that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Or is all that but a childhood memory? Waving hand and willing hearts. Nothing at all, yet everything. And all it takes is one old man who has forgotten to remember that magic is an illusion.
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
Lovely thoughts Ken.
Merry Christmas!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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