A small world! Last year, I did 2 Shows at a Senior Community in Baltimore, Md. After the 1st Show, a very nice older Lady called me over, gave me a nice comment on the Show & then asked, if I had ever heard of Walter Gibson. I answered, "You mean the WG who wrote "The Shadow" & also wrote his own Magic Books, as well as being the "Ghost Writer" for Houdini, Thurston & Blackstone.... just to name a few?". She answered, "Yes! Although I didn't know that about Houdini, Thurston & Blackstone." We both smiled & she continued, "What you probably didn't know was, his Son, was my Husband." She smiled & I was just stunned!!! It's a — feeling awesome.
Amado Narvaez
meets BOB McALLISTER
I had the good fortune of meeting Bob McAllister around 1963 when he was still the host of "The Bob and Chauncey Show" in Norfolk. He was one of the mentors of the teen magic club that I belonged to. Nearly 30 years later I picked him up at Washington National Airport when he lectured for a magic club in Maryland. Bob wrote and self-published a small booklet of tricks called _That Extra Touch_. It had some great routines in it, like his "Dollar Bill Dice Cup" (similar to a Chop Cup but with a leather dice cup, which in some ways is more deceptive than a Chop Cup since the leather is non-magnetic) and "Hanky Pocket Hanky Panky"--wherein a rope rises out of the breast pocket of his coat. The videotape shown in the jpeg featured some classic magic tricks with coins, cards, dollar bills, rubber bands, paper clips, and other everyday items. I still do Bob's "Cactus Pete--King of the Card Sharks" comedy cutting the aces routine, and his classic "Watch the Spot" kid show trick.
Amado Narvaez
at Barry's Magic Shop
I had the pleasure of performing at a number of venues in Maryland/DC/Northern Virginia--including "Open Magic Nite" at Barry's Magic Shop at its Wheaton location on Georgia Avenue. The attached collage is made up from screen captures of a video that Barry's wife Susie made of my act, featuring two of my original tricks: Wolfgang, the Mind-Reading Puppet and Mental Flip Flop using DC comic book covers. The "Mental Flip Flop" routine was published in a Parade in _Linking Ring_ in 2012.
Tales from the Road...
"Everyone's got em'!"
