This is a sign of the times...so many people doing bad magic that you aren't even getting a chance to show anything at all. Thank you Angel, such a great PR guy that people hate magic more than ever. How few a times have you said, "I am a Magician" and someone thinks that is prestigious? I have had people apolagize to me, as they assumed I would suck, and even after telling them that I have done it over a decade and am good at it...are SHOCKED to see that my magic is actually entertaining.
This is what magic has become - doing magic on the street for a random is about as prestigious as your uncle dealing the deck out 3 times and finding the wrong card. Honestly, unless you have a stage show - don't expect people to eagerly want to see magic. AGAIN, blame Angel, the Masked Magician, Angel again, and maybe even Youtube for making magic suck in the eyes of the general public...oh wait, let's not forget to thank all the kids trying to do magic for the people at a corner store?
I know you think this is the right path - but it isn't. Realize this - Doing less is doing more. Bannon talks about making people ask 2-3 times before he actually shows them. He feels the first time they ask, it is almost an obligation, if they ask again they have a sincere interest. However, young magicians are so eager to show magic for their own selfish reasons, that they don't concern themselves witht the impact it will have on audiences...BAD MAGIC LEADS TO BAD AUDIENCES - the preconceived notion of what magic is becomes a negative concept you are constantly trying to disprove. Enjoy you uphill battle...but you may deserve it (not you as in the poster, but the reader) as you may have helped cause it.
I wonder how you approached this person - did you talk up the Cashier, sincerely, an work magic into the conversation. How did you MAKE them want to see you? Just saying - I DO CARD TRICKS, is like saying - I ROCK AT MATH - nobody cares how accounts do what they do...even though they love a good tax return. Same with magic - most people will not want to give it a chance, unless they like you.
I just used this quote in a PM - but it was, "nobody cares what you know (do), until they know that you care".
I was just at the Science Centre in Toronto - I saw a kid standing with deck in hand, I went up to him, nice guy, and asked to see something. He then showed me some really basic effects, he talked to me like I was retarded (asking, can I count to 3) and when the "effect" happened...looked at me like...WELL, FREAK OUT. I took the deck from him, and proceeded to rock an entire crowd. This young guy loved it - I said, "Remember, magic is about making an experience happen, not JUST fooling people"....make magic fun before it happens, and it will be MORE fun when it does.
Too many of you are walking the streets to try and freak people out - why would you be surprised people don't want to see your stuff...in appearance, you look one step about a kid that stands on the corner washing your car windows...and two steps above a pan-handler. Seriously, magic is a way to take relationships to the next level, NOT replace relationships.
I KNEW I hated "street magic" when Garcia coined the term - TARGET - WTF! Target, I shop at Target, I don't want people I meet to be a target for anything...this is what is wrong with magic done to "random encounters".
Let magic be your secret weapon, not a replacement for a personality!