Lucky
Number
This
first appeared in the late Bascom Jones' Magick
Magazine.
This
routine came to me about four o'clock in the
morning one night. The time that most good ideas
come to me. I was pondering the reason an old
effect worked. The one where you have someone
secretly pick a number on a watch and you start
to tap the watch and each time you tap they
add one to their number and they stop you when
their total reaches twenty. When you stop you
are at their number. The secret was to count
counter clockwise and start at the seven. While
doing so I stumbled upon the fact that if a
person thought of a number and if you started
at the twelve and counted in an anti-clockwise
direction and each time you tapped a number
they added one to the number they selected.
When you were done they would have a total of
thirteen no matter what number they chose. From
this came the following effect:
"Each
month has a value." The mentalist begins. "January
is one, February is two up to December which
is twelve. I want you to think of the value
of the month that you were born in. Just think
if it and while you do that I am going to write
a prediction."
The mentalist
writes out his prediction, folds it and places
it in the spectators pocket.
"Now
sir, I am going to name months, each time I
do I am going to say out loud 'add one', this
will mean to add one to the value of your month.
When I name your month please tell me to stop."
The mentalist
proceeds to do just what he said "December,
add one! November, add one! October, add one."
Let's
say the spectator stopped him on October. The
value of October is 10. At this point the spectator
has added three to his number. His total is
13. "That's great," exclaims the mentalist,
"although unlucky for most, the number thirteen
means happiness, fame and fortune for those
born in October. Please open the prediction."
The spectator
does so and reads, "Although unlucky for most,
the number thirteen is lucky for those special
few."
METHOD:
The method
is quite simple. So long as you start at December
and name the months backwards adding one each
time plus one on their month, the spectators
'lucky' number will always be thirteen. The
reason is simple. There are twelve months in
a year. By counting backwards all that you are
doing is having them add the rest of the months
of the year which is twelve, plus one more on
their month to bring the total to thirteen.
NOTES:
If you
follow the routine as outlined and word the
predictions as it is, the spectator will 'remember,'
that not only did you know in advance his lucky
number but you also knew his birth date. Please
do not reveal in advance that you are going
to find out his 'lucky number' as you will send
out signals to the spectator to listen carefully
and learn the procedure so he can figure out
other people's lucky numbers. What he will then
figure out is the method. Reveal the number
as his lucky number when he arrives at the total.
Mail
mentalism:
This
can be done by mailing the prediction with a
letter telling the person you want to hire you
not to open the smaller prediction inside but
that you will be calling them or if they can't
wait they can call you. Place the prediction
in a smaller envelope, seal and write 'DO NOT
OPEN' upon it. Proceed as in the effect.
Watch
routine:
When
performing for someone you already know have
them remove their watch and think of any number
on the dial. Hand them the prediction. Tell
them you are going to touch numbers on the dial
they are to add one each time to their secret
number. When you reach their number they are
to call out stop. Tell them they now have a
lucky number and ask what it is. Have them open
the prediction.
One ahead:
If you
want you can write the first prediction as 13,
but instead of asking them to concentrate on
their birth date, have them concentrate on the
year they were born. Place this prediction in
their pocket. Now ask them for their birth date.
You now ask them to think of the value of their
birth month. You then write the year on a second
piece of paper and place that with the other
prediction in their pocket. Now proceed to get
their lucky number via this method. Both predictions
match.
In thoughts
Banachek
1998 & 1999 APCA Campus Performer of the
Year
College agent: http://www.paradigment.com/
show dates: http://homepages.lycos.com/Banachek/lypersonal/index.html
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