We are possibly in the last Sears store left in the tri-city area.  It is in a mall that is dying or has died depending on what one values in food court offerings.  There is a knock-off of Panda Express called China Express that sells virtually the same items — likely because it purchased the space from the departing Panda Express.  

In fact, this is being written on an electric typewriter found in the “discard” bin by the back of the electronics section.  So far the typewriter seems to be holding its own against our incredible 55 words-per-minute speed and the correct ribbon, while limited, it doing its job.

We write today from this once fine store to talk about magic in the age of the internet.  Sears lost out to internet retailers (we think that’s what happened) and many of the stores that once considered Sears their “anchor” store did the same. 

The center court is a mere shell of its former self.  There are no information booths, discount ticket vendors, people.  The fine benches on which men would wait for their partners while the latter shopped in the 72 stores the mall held, are no longer in place.  There are chairs but they are of the folding variety and likely pulled from failing merchants to provide a meeting space where the daily walkers can rest after their several laps of the mall.

There is no sense of danger here though.  The customers are not really customers so they carry no cash to rob.  The gangs prevalent in the city near-by seem to avoid the place — perhaps to avoid very small mobs of elderly speed-walkers or maybe they have other things to do during the day.

Sears, though, used to sell magic tricks to kids.  We bought a Houdini Magic set here when we were knee-high to some insect and returned many times to the quasi-magic counter in the Sears toy area to learn from the salesperson.  

A new store opened in the mall that drew the magic traffic from the internal location of the Sears to a brightly colored show wagon that had windows on both sides, in between the fixed circus-type wheels – where young people and older folks (over 14) could come to see the latest magic, novelties, books or just talk.  

We were fortunate enough to get a job there after begging and waiting until we were 12.  It was the most wonderful job on earth. We still had our paper route, so we were making serious cash and didn’t mind being paid in store credit.  On our first day, the proprietor gave us a set of Color Changing Knives. He demonstrated the trick and then taught us to perform it correctly — not so much like a magician would perform it but as a demonstrator of magic would show its effect and entice those watching to purchase a set.  

The proprietor also instructed us to clip  and clean our nails, remove any blemishes or hide cuts on our hands from our morning job of folding and throwing newspapers before coming into work. Continue reading “Typing in a Dying Mall” →

We are easily affected by many things.  We cry at weddings, movies, supermarket openings.  But we were very moved by the passing of Johnny Thompson and Marshall Brodien.  We knew both – although we are sure they didn’t know us – and respected each for their incredible contributions to our wonderful art.

We are originally from Chicago and watched Mr. Brodien on the Bozo Circus show as Wizzo the Wizard.  As a young (first very young and then just younger than we are now), Wizzo was wonderful.  It was live television and Mr. Brodien was performing real magic effects for both the studio audience and the kids home for lunch during school days.

Later, Mr. Brodien was seen nationally with his TV Magic Cards.  Realize we had never seen a Svengali Deck before and so Mr. Brodien’s commercials were memorized and worshipped.  We could not understand how he could pull off the miracles he performed with a simple deck of cards.

We bugged our father for days to take us to Walgreens to purchase the deck.  We had saved the money and when we brought it home, it was worth ten times the $2.95 we paid for it.  It was incredible in construction and instruction.  Within an hour, we were performing the effect for family and then in our shows at the elementary school we attended.  A true miracle.

It also taught us a very important lesson: never perform the same trick twice for the same audience.  A Svengali Deck is to be seen only once.  Once is enough.  Put the deck back in the case and back in our pocket.  We learned this lesson the hard way when one of our classmates asked, “Is it always the 2 of Spades?”  We said something about how she was just lucky and moved on to our next trick. Continue reading “Passing of Magicians Thompson and Brodien” →