I thought for quite a while before deciding to release this secret because I’ve used it a lot for press work and the effect is absolutely original. I had it listed as a dollar trick should I ever let it go, but Spring has made me weak so here it is.
Pick out a friend from the telephone book. Count down and remember its position from the top of its column. Make 26 one inch square cards containing letters of the alphabet. Make 25 more all containing the first letter of the friend’s last name. Put the 26 duplicate letters in your right coat pocket. Put the 25 different letters in the small watch or coin pocket at the top of this side pocket.
Select two cards in a deck of opposite colors but whose value will make up the required number to count down in the book to the friend’s name. Tip off this friend to the names of the two cards. (I manage to get their phone and paste the names on the bottom so he won’t lose them.)
Take the book and dog ear or otherwise mark the right page so you can get to it quickly. So far this may not appear as much – but please visualize the following effect on those hit by it.
Explain that you will demonstrate a test of mind reading with the telephone book. A name must be selected at random so you have a set of letters. Reach into your pocket and take out the top set. Show all are different and mixed and put them back. Your hand goes on down after leaving them at the top and stirs up the duplicates. Have a person reach in and take out one. Right after this you take out the top set and throw it on the table. This set, being minus the one forced, makes everything check.
Now explain that as an ‘R’ (for example) has been picked, the name shall be among the ‘R’ section. Pick up the book and run through it, stopping at the marked page, saying “Here is a page of R’s. We will use it.” Turn the book down, still open, and take the deck. “Now we need a number of two figures”, you continue. If, for instance, the name is 36th down from the top, you force a three and a six. Use your own choice of methods here, but for your sake as well as mine, don’t let it be complicated.
Use an alternating two kind deck if you wish and have two removed from anywhere in a spread.
Call the cards 36 and turning over the book, point to the right column and tell him to count down and mark the name. You walk away. If you’ll only go right through this as written without dragging, it is the best method of which I know. Now you dramatically, from across the room, spell out the name.
Now – say you would like to make a test of telepathy. Ask the person to go to the phone and call up the selected name in the book. This called up party is to be told something about a University or committee that is checking laws of average and sequence and would be kind enough to name two playing cards at random for the record. The person at the other end can hem and haw a little to build it, but does as requested.
And he names the two selected cards!
Imagine the effect created by this double test! I could rave for an hour but the dope is all here and if you’ll think for a minute you’ll feel like raving too! I know!
Leave a Reply