I had received a text message today about performing for a four year old girl and the contact number was turned off but the supposedly mom could receive texts. I told her the usual I had some questions about the time of the event and would like to speak to her in person and got a text back with a different number to call. When I called that number it was out of service. I figured it was either a child playing a prank or another magician checking out the competition. I personally think it was a prank because, if it was another magician calling they would have either called and left a message or left me a good number to call back. I texted the person back saying since I could not reach them I had taken another party and won't be able to help her out. I was going to say "hey thanks for the joke...kind of funny." I decided against that just in case.

I don't even see the humor or motive in this if it truly was a prank, since there is no satisfaction to be gained by the prankster if they don't even have the pleasure of witnessing the outcome. A true prankster would have had you calling a working number of someone accessible to them that isn't interested in your services, or would have wasted your time only to hang up on you or make you send out info to them with false hopes.

I would have turned the tables on them and replied back to the original text stating that since they are unreachable, you would be happy to discuss their upcoming event with them only if or when they contact you by phone so that you can discuss the details. This puts the burden on them to contact you instead. A prankster would typically give up at that point for fear of caller id and tracing.

- Gary

You might of pranked yourself out of a gig because the mother was having phone issues.

Danny you might be right. Gary I thought about doing that after I sent the text back to her. However, I thought the message was kind of written by a young person by the way it was written. Oh well on to the new year.

And yet "pranksters" constantly put out viruses and other internet bugs even though they can't see how it costs me time and money. They loosen the lids on salt, pepper, and sugar containers in restaurants without sticking around to see the results. There's simply no figuring out some people's motives.

Starr, viruses or companies going through havoc as a result make the news all the time. That's how hackers get their satisfaction. And what makes you think the culprit of a loosened salt shaker lid isn't still sitting at a table nearby? They usually are. I know this for a fact since I remember this prank in school and the responsible parties usually stuck around to be entertained.

But you're correct that one can never truly know what motivates juvenile behavior unless they are an aspiring magician or clown learning from trial and error!


- Gary