September 14, 2008

September 14, 2008

Today was sunny and warm. A perfect day for an outdoor birthday party for a 6 year old. Right after lunch I left for Okanagan Falls where I performed as a magician for Carter's 6th birthday. I arrived at 2:00 P.M., after the birthday party had already been underway for an hour in the small park across the street from Carter's home in Okanagan Falls. I donned my new magician's cape and top hat. The crowd of twenty-one children gathered at my feet. I juggled silently, awaiting their attention, and when I heard that all the children had become silent, I stopped juggling to introduce myself and begin my magic show. And to perform the greatest magic trick I had ever done, or ever will do again !

HA HA HA HA HA ! As I stopped juggling, and looked down at the crowd of children in front of me ... well ! I introduced myself, acknowledged the birthday boy, and then announced that for my first magic trick, especially for Carter, I was going to make ... a deer appear. HA HA HA HA HA ! I told the children to turn around and look behind themselves, where a deer had wandered into the small park, right behind them, while I was juggling. I told the children I had made it appear as a special treat for Carter. HA HA HA HA HA ! What a great trick ! ! ! Let's see Copperfield top that !

I performed for about half an hour, until I saw that I was losing the children's attention. I guess half an hour is about the maximum attention span of six year olds. After some other birthday party activities it was my turn again. I had agreed to teach the children a magic trick. Carter's father had prepared a 3 foot piece of soft rope for each child, as per my earlier instruction. And each child received a cardboard top hat, a paper magician's cape, and a small magic wand. I attempted to teach the group a "disappearing knot" trick. I had to enlist the assistance of some of the parents and older siblings in attendance to assist with individual instruction. Gee ... six year olds' hands are awfully tiny ! And most of them don't yet have great manual dexterity. I managed to teach the trick successfully to about three of the six year olds, one older sibling, and one father. I had picked this disappearing knot trick because I thought it was the easiest trick I could teach to children that age. I had less success than I had hoped for, but ... there seemed to be no complaints. Those that could do it were happy, and those that couldn't were satisfied to move on to other activities.

Not being particularly knowledgeable about children that age, I couldn't help but notice, especially after a mother's comments, that by that point in the party the children seemed to be suffering somewhat from "sugar overdose". HA HA HA !

I had a good time. And the children seemed thrilled to have a real live magician at the party. Especially Carter, who had specifically requested a magic themed birthday party.

DSK