A Magician Journal - "Curse or Blessing in Disguise?"

Luis Vega

Elite Member
Mar 19, 2008
1,838
278
38
Leon, Guanajuato Mexico
luisvega.com.mx
"Curse or Blessing in Disguise?"
Journal of August 14
By Luis Vega

Other days...anytime...when asked to do magic..
"Hey Luis!! could you shows us some magic?"
"oh I am sorry!! I don´t have my deck of cards right now"
"oh pity!"
that used to be a recurent problem...the solution? a deck of cards..always..


9:00 PM
Saturday
on my way home..
"I think I won´t go out this night, I feel tired" I say to myself while driving my way back home..I had to go to work today, since my boss is leaving the town for good...and we had a lot to get done before he leaves...I think I am gonna have to look for other job..since going to work everyday gives some sense to my life..I hope everything will be well..

As I think I look at the window and see the Plaza Campestre, now that I think about it, since I work now in Capitan George I haven´t come here since 5 weeks...I think I shoud pay them a visit..

Plaza Campestre was my first place where I performed magic for strangers and aditionally to that earn some money, it was also the first place where I got the chance to prove myself and I think I can go and tell them that I haven´t forget about them..I am just really busy...and I am preparing new material...I do want to come back to perform because is somehow relaxing since I don´t have a job per se, I have liberty and I can come and test new effects or presentations...also I miss them!!

"Never burn any bridges, you might need to cross them again someday" Michael Baker, Magician
that phrase comes to my mind..

Il Padrino is the first I go..then I remember something..I don´t have anything on me, well I have that number matrix in my wallet, some bussiness cards, that big coin, some rubberbands, a sharpie and some sugar packets, left over from the coffe I drank...well anyway I am not thinking on doing magic tonight, I just want to say hello to my friends here..

El Mural
11:00
"crap! Luca is on vacation on Italy!! well who can blame him..he is Italian!!" I think while entering at El Mural, and I am greeted by the staff, who are my friends and we chat a little..

"So Luis!! do you have a new trick on you? we are so eager to see your new material!!"
"oh I am sorry!! I don´t have my deck of cards now..besides I am only here to chat a little"
"oh! c´mon!! we are sure that you can do something!"
"well..." I remember my usual problem with cards "I think I can show you something with this" I say while producing my big coin (a Silver Peso...an OZ of pure silver) then I do my one coin routine, nothing so fancy, just some vanishes, then I conclude with coin thru hand
"WOW!!" they clap very loudly
"thanks! I am so glad you like it!!"

while I chat a waiter that I havent met come behind me and tells me that a couple upstairs want to see me..I just move my head and I see a girl calling me with his boyfriend, ok, here is the problem I really don´t have good magic on me, my mentalism is just to new to even think to try it out and also I don`t have attitude...ok it`s too late for that, since while I was thinking all this I am already with the couple

"Hello!! you asked to see me?"
"Oh yes!! I could see you from here and I thought you were doing magic? is that correct?"
"yes...it is correct"
"oh!! great!! I love magic!! so you are a magician?"
"no..I am just Luis Vega" I say this because I don`t want to be only a "magician" I want to be recognized by my name..not for what I do
"oh!! you have a pretty name!! so can you show us something?"
"of course..." ok...obviously I hype to much...I hope this goes well...
I say I need a coin to do this trick...and then I take out a bill and says that I really need a coin, but then I produce the coin from inside the bill...I am not sure where I saw this...but it did come handy this time...
"wow!! where did that huge coin came from?"
I proced with my coin routine...then I continue with some rubberband magic, then I ask for a coin and do coin thru sugar packet and then my number matrix..everything is going great!! also I use the salter and do salter through table...
"wow!! I love magic!! is good to see this kind of things sometimes!!"
"I really appreciate the compliment"
"can we see a final trick?"
"ok" I really need something hard hitting since I have plant the idea that I can do magic anytime and anywhere...also I need something that can be seen as real magic..just to seal the pact...
"Ok...I think we got a great time now...so I think I would like to show you something with your signed coin.." then I start talking about how when I do magic with coins, they usually go thru my hand...that´s right!!

I then execute a signed coin under watch..

"OMG!!! HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT!!!" they scream while getting the attention of all the tables...I just stand there and they want to hire me so badly to a event they are having next saturday...I just give them one of my business card and tell them to call me next day...and I feel I should leave..so I leave and then I see the people just staring at me as If I was some kind of demon...or a very handsome guy (personally I prefer the last one!!)

Shannon´s Pub
12:00

Ok..I just want to say hello to my friend Abby..nothing more, nothing less...
I find her attending a table..and I come from behind and give her a touch in her shoulders..
"Luis!! I thought you were never coming back here!!"
"Oh here I am..how have you been?"
"great! so are you here to do some magic?"
"actually I am here to say hell to you and my friends...to remind them I´m still around"
"oh that is so cute!!" cute? OMG is she flirting with me?
"oh thanks!! so how is school?"
"well.." before she can answer I am greeted by the vocalist of the band..

"Hello Magician!! how are you!!"
"Great how about you?""
"I am doing great!! thanks for asking! see there is a table full of my friends!! I was wondering if you could show them some magic..and I tell them to tip you very well!!"
"well..you see I am just.." I am interrupted by the noise and he just asumes I said yes..crap!!...although I feel confident from the last performance, I just feel it was luck..here there is a lot of noise and I need really visual magic...

as I expected I make an OK performance, they are entertained but not how I would like them to be..anyway I got a good tip, so I can drink and eat something later..but before leaving I just go with Abby and tell her I am leaving and that I´ll se her around...

I just go to my car and then I leave for the night...I think I am gonna start creating a set without cards on it..I love cards...but I feel people are more eager to see magic in a more organic feel...my magic is about to change forever...
 
Aug 31, 2007
1,960
1
34
Long Island/New York
Luis, once again great story.
Every time you post these, I put myself if your shoes and can't help but feel the same pressure as you felt when people were asking to see you perform.
It's definitely inspiring and makes me eager to learn more.
Thanks for the good read.
-Danny
 

RickEverhart

forum moderator / t11
Elite Member
Sep 14, 2008
3,637
471
46
Louisville, OH
Luis, you are exactly correct you should always carry a few things on you and be able to do a set without any cards. By now I have figured out that the magic is even stronger when presented with every day objects or more so with their borrowed objects.

I also understand how you feel about not being able to just go in somewhere and not be labled as "the magician". People, friends, family, etc. expect you to perform at any moments notice. Sometimes I enjoy that because I know I can deliver on the spot and other times when I just go somewhere to hang out and NOT do magic...it makes me mad when people keep begging to see magic. We are not performing monkeys and i know you understand that because it feels like you are letting them down by not performing.

If I feel there is a time when people are begging and I know what I have on me is not enough or not going to suffice the situation I simply decline politely and people drop it after they see you are serious about not getting out any effects that day.

Once again thanks for sharing.
 
Jul 1, 2009
648
1
29
Austin,TX
Wonderful story Luis!!!

I think that people get more of a reaction when you perform magic with ordinary things....you even get bigger reaction if the things are borrowed. I hate the fact that everytime I want to perform I always need a deck of cards with me. Now I can carry a few pieces of paper and a pencil and perform mentalism with that. I can borrow some coins to perform coin magic and I'm looking into money magic.

Thanks for your story Luis!!
 
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