Tuesday, January 8, 2013

The magic of growing up

I have some rather unique memories of growing up - you see my mother was a clown and puppeteer and my father was a magician. Yes, they had "regular" occupations as well, but this was what they chose to do with the rest of their time.

I remember helping to put together puppet plays and watching Dad rehearse. Dad loved to perform. He did shows big and small; company Christmas parties, children's birthday parties, Sunday school object lessons and table to table sleight of hand at bars. He would learn a new trick, practise in front of his full length mirror and then call me: "dear, come see if you can tell how my new trick works!" to come see if he had it down good enough to show others. We grew up knowing that one did not tell how a trick was done - that was a secret shared only between magicians.

And then there were the conventions! Imagine hundreds of magicians getting together for a week or weekend in order to teach and learn from each other - a cacophony of magical delights! Dad always seemed at his happiest either performing or learning with other magicians and a joyous crowd they were.

Dad is no longer with us, but memories of his favorite illusions fill my dreams.

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