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Rocky Elite user 486 Posts |
A stroll through a metropolitan street fair found me in a small gathering of spectators. Our performer was a street magician who appeared to have had experience as a street artist and appeared likable and entertaining.
His show began with the request of a borrowed finger ring. The crowd glanced about looking for the person brave enough to part with such a personal item. Unfortunately for our magician, nobody was willing to allow him to use their ring. Ever the professional, the street magician carried on by inviting a middle aged woman to help him with a trick. I realized rather quickly that the performer was in the process of doing a watch steal as he constantly grabbed the spectator by the wrists and directed her attention to the dollar bills he had crumpled up in her hands (he was doing a modified sponge ball routine with dollar bills). His steal was successful and after the routine sent the woman back to her spot in the crowd. His next routine included a three shell game where he announced that the person who could follow the pea would win a beautiful ladies wristwatch. He held the watch high in the air and grinned sheepishly at the woman from whom he had stolen it from. She immediately glanced at her bare wrist and then back to the displayed watch. The woman looked puzzled and said, "What did you do with my watch?". "Im holding it!", replied the street wizard as he moved closer for the spectator to get a better look. "That's not my watch", replied the woman, "I was wearing a Rolex". At first the crowd (including the magician) thought that the woman was joking. She wasn't. The spectator insisted that the performer give her back her watch or she would have no choice but to call the cops. Try as he might, the magician had no way to defend himself to the woman or the quickly dispersing crowd as to proving that the watch he held was actually the watch the woman had been wearing. Sensing the awkward scene that was developing, my wife took my arm and suggested we continue on our way. As we headed towards a vendors booth I reminded myself that sometimes watch steals and diamond rings can add quite the impact during a magic performance, but you never know when a moment will arise like the one I witnessed that day. |
Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
IMO, the street is NOT THE PLACE TO DO A PICK POCKET ACT.
I would never BORROW anything like a ring, either.
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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migwar Elite user west yorkshire, UK 457 Posts |
Quote:
On Aug 12, 2015, Rocky wrote: The sadist in me would like to see how this played out. I imagine Cops called man searched - No Rolex Women has to prove she owns a Rolex, Doesn't her plan fall apart at the point the watch isn't returned to her? Unless it really was a crappy throw away watch? |
Nick W Special user 515 Posts |
I would have stayed.
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EVILDAN Inner circle 1279 Posts |
The hassle of a street hustle.
by EVILDAN....
"The Coin Board Book" - moves and routines with the coin panel board. - http://www.lybrary.com/the-coin-board-book-p-827955.html "SLASHER - A Horror Whodunnit" - a bizarre close-up routine based on Bob Neale's "Sole Survivor." PM me for more info. "Zombie Town" - a packet effect about how a small town turned into zombies. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nzJhcoJtyOM |
Rocky Elite user 486 Posts |
I later discovered the scam. She was trying to make a deal with the performer to hand over his earnings for the day and that she would return the following day to get her watch back or the $$$ she was entitled to cover the entire cost of her "lost" watch.
The performer apparently tried to get the police involved and was asking bystanders to help him find a foot patrol officer. The scam artist insisted that the cops didn't need to be involved. This was a red flag for the performer who assumed (rightfully) that she didn't want police around due to their possible awareness of this type of scam. He patently waited for her to finish her rant/scam until she finally gave up and walked away cursing the "dishonest magician". |
imgic Inner circle Moved back to Midwest to see 1337 Posts |
I was just watching Greg Wilson's " On the Spot" DVD where he shows impromptu magic. He's one routine called Ring Fright where he borrows a ring and makes it disappear, reappear, etc. at one point he "throws" the ring only to have it back on his finger. During the explanation he slips and actually throws the ring. Convinced me I'd never do that on the street.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
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