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Chrystal Inner circle Canada/France 1552 Posts |
Aceparties post regarding carrying on in times of personal difficulty made me think about our clients. Even after years of performing there are some clients whom I will never forget. Some posters had written about very special children whom we made laugh or least forget their own troubles the day we performed. What are your stories? Here's a few that stand out in my mind.
Alex : I'll never forget this child as his mother hired me after he viewed me performing at his school. She just kept saying he just wants you to perform at his party for his birthday present. I pulled up to the house and it was the most dilaptitated house I'd ever seen. Performing birthday parties most of us have been in homes in the either the higher end or low. This one was beyond low. The front stairs were so deteriorated they were of no use as was the fence and even the grass was about 2 ft high. I performed in his driveway as his family members (could tell they were all alchoholics) drank freely in the background. Only his cousins attended his party. Anna and Katie: Received a call from a close friend asking me to drop by this home one evening to possibly cheer up the kids whom were 5 and 6 as their dad had just passed away the day before. The parents had spent the last year building their dream home when the dad unexpectedly became ill. The large home had very few furnishings and had a hollow sound, it had been put up for sale. It was Christmas time so I dressed as an elf and knocked on the door. The little girls were delighted to see me. I almost cried when one asked if I could use her magic to bring her daddy back. The older sister said she can't he's already in heaven before I could respond. My friend told me they talked about the elf for days and for a short time I made them happy. Nicholas: I too have performed for a child who wished I could make it to his birthday party although it would be his last. The room was packed with people, each trying to make it a special event for his party. Those are the tough ones. Anyway those are the special children I remember the most even after years of performing. |
Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
What a great Topic,
I've told you before about the lad at the holiday camp who hadn't spoken a word for 3 months since he was involved in a horrific car crash which crushed his legs. I got him on stage and he talked to me as normal while he helped with the trick. Meanwhile his mum who hadn't heard him speak for 3 months was crying down the phone to his dad (who wasn't on the holiday with them as he was working). Josie, A special needs child. Nearly wrecked the show the first time I saw her at a pre-school Xmas kids show. She just wanted to grab everything and play with it. The following year she was there again, a great improvment, she sat and watched most of the show. A year later I saw her at a party, she was so good I got her up to help. What I remember most is that every time I saw her, she remembered me, and her face lit up. I was told by her Mum that I must have struck a cord with her as she doesn't really take much notice of people. At a free show I did at the Bristol Hospital for sick children, A girl was wheeled into the room in her bed, I chose her to help, and they wheeled her over to me. Her smile was a mile wide and when I gave her the breakaway wand she laughed so much, she lost control of her arm and smacked herself in the nose making it bleed. I was a tad upset as I blamed myself, the nurses told me not to worry as she always does it when she gets excited. I adlibed for a few minutes, then they bought her back and she finished her trick. This time her arm was tied to the bed. I've done lots of hospital shows and always pick the kids really ill kids. A wheelchair bound or bedridden child, or obvious cancer stricken kid, (The bald head, or syrup is always a give away) will nearly always get picked because the smile on their faces lights up my day. And of course what better medication is their than laughter. PS for our colonial friends, Syrup = Syrup Of Figs = Wig. A bit of rhyming slang.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
Rupert Bair Inner circle ? 2179 Posts |
Laughter is the greatest medicine unless your a diabetic, insulin propably works better.
Matt |
Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
I shared this famous quote on another thread, but it belongs on this one, as well:
Quote: One hundred years from now
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
True.
I forgot Liam, Liam is 16 going on 8 if you know what I mean. I've done his party for the last 3 years. His cousins are there as well aged between 4-10 and his younger/older brother, plus some normal friends of Liam and his brother who are real 14-15 year olds. Liam has a great time, so do I, and despite all that's said about todays teenagers, his friends enjoy it as well. The teenage boys join in have fun and pretend to be 8, all because it's for Liam. I saw Liam again this week at his special School, His face lit up when he saw me. So did mine because I thought he'd left the school as he was too old.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
macmagic Veteran user MA 400 Posts |
I just had a great show last week, it was at a therapeutic riding camp, children with disabilities physical and mental go this camp and learn all about riding and caring for horses, they had me come in as a treat for the kids and they wanted to do the magic class, when I get there I was told that a large percent of the children did not have good motor or coordination skills! some of them couldn't hold onto a cup to drink out of it, but I taught everyone of them how to perform some magic tricks and they absolutly loved it, I had a mom give me a hug (with tears in her eyes saying she has never seen her daughter enjoy herself so much) well that's my story!
"Its a magic thing...........you wouldn't understand"
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Cheshire Cat Special user Wilmslow, UK 941 Posts |
When I saw your thread Chrystal, I immediately was trying to recall 'nightmare' clients, as of course, you don't forget these do you? However, I'm not going to pollute these wonderful recollections with memories of people we should really all forget!
Yes, we have recollections mostly of children with leukemia or very limited life span. They just get on with life, what little they have left, don't they? |
Chrystal Inner circle Canada/France 1552 Posts |
To those whom have posted so far, I loved reading these heart warming stories. Thanks!
You're right Aceparties we don't forget those other clients either, but, I love hearing stories about the ones that made you feel glad you went into magic. :O) Keep them coming! |
Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
We may be able to pull a rabbit from a hat, or a coin from an ear. But bringing a little joy into the life of a terminally ill child and seeing their face light up, and their smile nearly tear their head in two, that's the real magic.
It brings tears to your eyes when you get back in the car, and a warmth in your heart that you were responsible for that smile and some happy memories for the family. I've done a few shows in the past for the CLIC kids, (Cancer & Luekemia in Childhood) The bravery of these kids is amazing, and puts an awful lot of todays winging adults to shame.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
harris Inner circle Harris Deutsch 8812 Posts |
I added a memory in my first of todays programs.
I was sharing at a program, at a camp called "Ups and Downs" . The camp had teens and adults paired with "Downs Kids". During my program a young man came up a few times to get a closer look at Grandpa Charlie.(Nigel's Grandfather) After the 3rd time of running back and forth from his seat to the stage, Papa Charlie asked him to sit down. You guessed it, the wonderful young man sat right at the feet of Papa and I. I laughed louder and longer than the spontaneous laughter from the audience. It was a fun and nearly normal moment. Harris Deutsch Laughologist
Harris Deutsch aka dr laugh
drlaugh4u@gmail.com music, magic and marvelous toys http://magician.org/member/drlaugh4u |
Darko New user 63 Posts |
Last year, in Christmas, a did a free show for very poor children, in a event. There are a lot of really poor families. The smile in their faces is the best payment that I ever received.
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MarkTripp Special user Michigan 618 Posts |
From an upcoming book:
I can tell more, a great many from personal experience. Doing the Dogpatch shows I spoke of, one day I was informed that a family was on the park, and their little boy had cancer. He was going into the Hospital and most likely would not be coming home. Everyone was doing what he or she could to make the day a special one. I said to put them in the front row. With no rehearsal, Teleprompters, or back stage cues, I brought the young man on stage. I told him of the story of Le Grand David when he first met Marco the Magi. If you don’t know the story then go to Beverly and hear it for yourself! When I finished the story, I asked him “Would you like to fly?” I wish I could tell you all about the look in his eyes when he said “yes”, but there are no words to describe it. Did he fly? With the aid of my aga levitation he did. Were the people moved? His father left the theater as his son “flew” because he was crying so hard, and the cast members could not speak. Were the people moved? Yes, we all were. Or, Years ago when I was the Burger King, children's hospitials were always on the appearance list. There was a boy there who's father set him on fire. He was so bad he looked like a lizard, there was almost nothing on his face. Hardest thing I ever did was look past that, into his eyes, as he led me all over the floor to make sure every child saw me that day. |
Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
It's very hard sometimes isn't it, when dealing with such destressing things.
When you do kids with cerebral Palsy you have to look past the dribbling, deformed, twitching body, in the wheelchair into the eyes of the health child trapped within. The mind behind the eyes is as normal as me and you, and when those eyes just light up with happiness I get an enormous buzz.. I don't change my show, but I do have to adapt the act a lot more to take into account their inability to comunicate properly. Shrieks of laughter and pointing and shouting is replaced by moaning and wild flapping of arms. Wands are placed into the side of wheelchairs, or their carers stand with them and help them wave them. I talk to them as you would a normal child, and just as I do with the puppet I translate the moans you get back into the answers normal kids give you and respond acccordingly. It's hard work but what a buzz. Some entertainers wont do special needs kids, they don't know what they are missing.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
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