I always carry around something simple and quick like a TT or dime and penny.

COFFEE BREAK ... can be done with whatever is in the break room. Mind Reading. Predictions. Psychic Bonding
All under 15 minutes.

X finger at http://www.papercranemagic.com all you need is a hand

Magnetic fingers.
The hypnotism test.
To have influence over someone with just your voice is a powerful thing.

ROSHAMBO !!!!!!!

Back in the day when I was in JROTC we were helping vets play bingo. They found out I did magic and asked me to do a show. Not having my "equipment" I borrowed stuff and did a thirty minute show. Got a couple of bookings out of that.
The important thing is read all you can about magic. You can put on a show with borrowed items.
Ray

Hi team,, I still use the first magic trick I was shown at school age 14.You place a coin on each upturned palm,place your hands face down the table or the ground ,ask them what the two coins add up to,lift the empty hand first to show the vanish,reveal the two coins under the other hand.Iknow its a simple trick but at age 47 I stillvalue this little gem.

I just had an idea,(I love it when that happens)if they really wan't to see a spur of the moment thing,ask for one of their shoe lasses and one of their finger rings and go into Greg Wilson's Ring Leader.Empty pockets is not a problem but my typing speed IS.

There are a few things you can carry all the time in your pockets that do not use a lot of space. In the past I was caught off guard from time to time, but now I carry at least one or two decks of cards, four or five sponge balls and a TT. And when I'm wearing a big jacket I include either an invisible deck or, lately, bikes trilogy.

And the main reason why I carry those thongs with me all the time has turned to be not impromptu magic, but the fact that my magic has gotten much better lately because I get to practice a lot during my normal day, even when I teach at the university I sometimes take out a sponge ball and start disappearing it just for the fun of doing it and not telling my students what I’m doing. Obviously some of them notice its magic and start asking for more. Then I say I was just practicing and keep doing what I was doing.

Best regards,

Giovanni.

I have carried a pocket knife for years. Since I got out of school, I haven't left the house without one hardly. So for me color changing knives is a natural to have on me at all times. I carry the gimmick in my right pocket and the non gimmick in my left. A few minutes of entertainment right at my fingertips.

Quarter vanishes and appears under my watch twice. Under their watch the 3rd time. Simple & effective! 2 quarters!!!!

When you really and truly have nothing, well practiced sleight of hand will allow you to use ANYTHING at your immediate disposal.

Skim over some different prop moves in "Now You See It, Now You Don't," by Bill Tarr.
Study some vanishes and reappearances, and be able to do as many invisible transfers as necessary.

This way, small chit chat with a bic pen, or a coin/token/rock/stick off the ground/key/cell phone/glasses/tic tac case/ID or CC/bottlecap can amaze for as long as you need.

Don't plan for something specific. Learn the material that is versatile and will let you improv on the spot with ANYTHING you can manipulate.

Just my $0.02

First off, don't be a puppet. Don't let magic be a crutch for a lack of personality or self-esteem. You shouldn't have to resort to magic as a substitute for communication. There's nothing wrong with saying, "I'd rather not perform at the moment." It's not like they're going walk away thinking your magic must not be real 'cause you couldn't do something on the spot. There should be 0 pressure for you to perform anything. Don't feel as if you have to prove yourself.

If I do decide to entertain, I gather some coins, a pen, and I'm off to the races. Coins are always at hand! If I don't have ANYTHING material, then I'll do equivoque or hypnosis.

If you truly don't have anything on you and can't borrow anything, then use a line to get out of it... a very nice one that I heard from Thomas Medina was something along the lines of: "You know, I do this for a living. So, asking me to do a trick is like asking a hooker for a freebie." It gets a laugh, and then you can just walk away or say that you'll show them something later.

But as mentioned before, we should always have something in our pockets to do something on the spot. Not necessarily a magic prop, but common, every day things; change, cell phone, keys, bills, etc...

-Abe

"Caught off guard," huh?

May I recommend Steve Fearson's Goodbye Vanish?

Hey, guys, it happens. Sometimes, you just have nothing. So saying, "Just make sure you always have something," doesn't answer the question.
If there are objects about, use them, obviously (the equivocal force was a great suggestion). Use what the asker has; if they have nothing, then go mental. No, not crazy, but mental tricks.
There are many books on impromptu magic. "Lifesavers" is great if it is still in print. So, you may be able to use what is around you.
Betcha's can be magical. That old "think of a number from 1-10, x's it by 9...etc., and why are you thinking of an Orange Kangaroo in Denmark" still gets a jaw drop.
Docc Hilford has a great subliminal experiment using the numbers 1-2-3-4.
Get "101 Method's of Forcing," it's not all card stuff.
Number/Math magic (low level that doesn't need paper, pencils calculators).
There is stuff to do if you absolutely have nothing, so saying be sure to always have something negates the question.

One I have been doing for years is to take out the coins in my pocket. Look through the coins on an open palm and say, "I use this quarter (or whatever coin you choose)." I pretend to take the coin and pocket the remainder to my pocket. I then pretend to put the coin into the other hand, blow on it and slowly open the hand to show the coin has vanished.

It has NEVER failed to get a strong reaction. Best impromptu effect when you have nothing on you to do.

-Ron