Description
Presentation: The performer states that he recently acquired a wristwatch that once belonged to a wold famous psychic. “since it came into my possession” the performer continues, “some very strange and mysterious things have occurred. Perhaps they will happen tonight as well”.
“Sir, I am going to concentrate on an hour from one through twelve. what some might call an hour of destiny. When I snap my fingers, i want you to think of yours. Think of any hour from one through twelve. Preferably one that has no special significance to you. Do you have one in mind? Good! Don’t reveal it to anyone. Simply commit it to memory….and while you are at it, remember that i am handing this sealed envelope to this young lady in the first row.”
“Now sir, please examine the deck of cards. Make sure they are all different.and then mix them any way you care”. When the spectator finishes shuffling, the performer retrieves the cards. “I’m now going to deal you twelve cards from the shuffled deck…twelve cards representing the hours showing on this watch” The performer points to his watch and then deals twelve cards, faces down, on the spectator’s palm.
“When i turn my back, please remove as many cards as the hour you’re thinking of and place them in your pocket. For example, if you are thinking of three o’clock remove three cards and place them in your pocket. If you are thinking of 6 cards…. place 6 in your pocket.” The performer turns and holds the remainder of the deck behind his back. “as son as you have done that, Place the rest of the cards on top of the deck” the performer states. As soon as this is done the performer turns and states that he will again deal the spectator twelve cards. representing the hours on the face of the watch.
The performer deals twelve cards, faces down on the spectator’s palm and discards the remaining cards into his pocket. Removing his wristwatch, the performer asks a second spectator to come forward and hold his watch for safe keeping. The performer places his watch dial side up on the spectator’s palm and ask him to cover the watch with his other hand.
Picking up the twelve cards from the first spectator’s palm, the performer states that as he shows the twelve cards one at a time,the spectator is to remember the card that corresponds to his mentally selected hour. “In other words if you have one card in your pocket thick of this card” as the performer shows him the first card. “if two remember this card” as the performer shows him the second card. Performer now shows all twelve cards. When all twelve cards the performer states “you now have two things in mind,. Your hour of destiny, represented by the number of cards in your pocket and the name of a single playing card…and you are the only person in the room who knows what they are.”
The performer continues, “Please remove the cards from your pocket and count them aloud one at a time into my hand. The spectator does so and lets say there are 7 cards n his pocket. “that means that 7 o’clock was your hour of destiny, correct?” The spectator agrees. The performer ask the spectator holding the watch to call out the time and the spectator replies 7 o’clock! First round of applause.
“Sir if you look at the watch you will notice that my hour of destiny is 10 o’clock. It is marked by a diamond set n the watch. Is that correct?” The spectator confirms. “Remember the sealed envelope I gave to this young lady before we began the experiment?” The lady opens the envelope and reads the card in it aloud: “To whom it may concern, my hour of destiny and that of the spectator will be exactly three hours apart!”
“Sir your hour of destiny was 7 o’clock and mine was 10 0;clock…I believe that leaves a difference of three hours”. Second round of applause. Your also thinking of a playing card, Please call it out loud”. The spectator responds “The five of diamonds.”
“And here is the strange and mysterious part I truly do not understand” the performer states. Pointing to the spectator, the performer continues. “Will you please read aloud what is engraved on the back of my watch?” The spectator turns the watch over and reads aloud “The five of Diamonds”. Third round of applause
Babcock Block and Rope Escape: uncommon