The moment of truth - time to fake it

There are some magicians that utilize Tarot Cards, read palms, or refer to Astrology. Generally, you will not find any of these in my shows. However, there was this one time …

I was performing walk-around table magic at a corporate event at the Costa Mesa Red Lion Hotel in California. Large round tables that seat about 10 persons per table. There was seating for about 300 people. There we no empty seats.

Things were going rather well as I progressed from table to table. I was performing the “Twins” card trick, when the lady to my left grabbed my arm.  Well, this is different, I thought to myself.

Side note: If you are a spectator at a magic show, do not grab the magician’s arms or hands during a performance. It will probably not be appreciated.

I stopped and looked at her. She said admiringly, “After this, you must read my palm”! I smiled and said “Certainly”, and then continued on with the trick. Now, it’s best to point out, I have no idea how to read a palm. Everything I know from reading palms I got from some gypsy lady in a 1950’s film. She wore a turban on her head and was called Madame … something. Why I agreed to read her palm is still a mystery to me. I like to think that I was accepting the challenge, or I was just telling her what she wanted to hear. Most likely, it was just plain ego. Ego will get you in trouble every time.

The trick ended, and I scooped up the cards. Then right on cue, this lady’s arm and palm-up hand flopped onto the table, like a dead mackerel.  The moment of truth - time to fake it.

Well, I pointed out the longest line in her hand and said, “This is your life line”. I remembered that from the gypsy in the movie. Hoping that I didn’t try to read a scar or a wrinkle, I pointed out the next largest line that intersected the first one. I said “This is your financial line.  This point where it crosses your life line is the point where you became financially independent”. After a quick calculation I stated, “It appears to be age 25”. “Yes”, she replied, amazed! “That is when I graduated from college”! By now, I was feeling quite proud of myself.

It was then that the lady to my right said, “Ohhh, read mine”!  Well, I had used up the only clever thing I could think of for reading palms on the other lady. Oh well, here goes. I looked at her hand and pointed out the life line and the financial line. The strange thing about her hand was that the financial line crossed the life line way at the top of her hand. So I said, “Well, as you can see here your financial independence was determined at birth”. She said, “That’s amazing, you are right. I was born into a wealthy family”!

Both ladies appeared very pleased and entertained with their palm readings.

With that I took my bow, realizing that being a gypsy palm reader was not for me, and I retired from the palm reading business.

-John