A SET UP
By Mike Rogers
I
love a good gag. I don't mean unkind pranks
or dirty tricks, but instead I mean those
rare times when you can set someone up
for a truly surprising moment that catches
them totally off guard. Moreover, it should
be enjoyed by all including the victim.
I'll relate an amusing story where I was
set up for just such a moment. I was set
up BIG TIME!
Several
years ago I used to work a show in Washington,
D.C. called THE POSTAL FORUM. It is a
trade show dealing with all matters related
to the U.S. Postal Service and the many
industries using the U.S. Postal Service.
Everyone there has something to do with
the mail, and everything being exhibited
has something to do with the mail. For
instance, many major companies send thousands
of documents through the mail each year.
Some of these companies even have entire
departments who handle the annually mailings.
There are special machines to assist in
the job, and in many cases special training
is required. Hence, the attendees at the
show will be the postal people, the company
people who do the work and purchase the
equipment, and the exhibitors who offer
the services and equipment. It's what
we call a vertical show. There are no
spin-off services related to other industries.
You get the idea. Everyone there has something
to do with the mail.
At
this show my client was DuPont and the
product was TYVEK. This is a paper like
material that is extremely light in weight,
yet it will not tear. There are two advantages
in using TYVEK as a mailing envelope.
The documents are protected and the entire
packet is lighter in weight. It's a product
that's fun to pitch as there are many
good things to say about it.
Additionally,
At this show the company used a version
of an old gag regarding sex. The old gag
is the business card made from TYVEK saying,
"If in the mood for sex keep this card.
If not, tear it up and I'll understand."
Of course the recipient of the card can't
tear it up. During the show they passed
out business size cards saying, "If you
think MIKE ROGERS is the best magician
in the world keep this card. If not, tear
this card up and we'll understand." It
was fun.
I
closed my act with Card to Sealed Envelope
using TYVEK envelopes that had been mailed
to me. Everything was on the level since
DuPont mailed me enough empty envelopes
to cover the entire run of the show. These
were addressed to me and sent individually
to me through the mail. I often wondered
what the mailman thought on the day he
placed close to 100 envelopes in my mail
box, all obviously being the same.
Since
TYVEK can't be torn easily I used the
rubber cement method of doing the effect.
DuPont had the envelopes made just for
this show, so we knew in advance they
were the correct type for the rubber cement
treatment. Other than the TYVEK envelope
the effect was rather standard. A signed
selected card magically appears in a sealed
envelope which has been sent through the
mail. The only difference was the envelope
couldn't be torn open. To solve this we
also gave away special letter openers
designed for just such envelopes. You
have the picture and get the idea.
I
told you earlier about the attendees.
Among those attending the show were several
postal inspectors. These folks are the
law enforcement arm of the U.S. Postal
Service. They are experts at what can,
and cannot, be done with the U.S. mail.
Early in the show the postal inspectors
caught wind of my signed card in a sealed
TYVEK envelope. They were intrigued because
it had been sent through the mail and
having all the correct postmarks. To be
honest, they went ape over it. In the
course of three days I think there must
have been at least 50 postal inspectors
pass by wanting to see what it was I was
doing with the mail that they didn't understand.
Many tried to position themselves in the
crowd so as to be the spectator signing
the selected card. I was in Seventh Heaven
as it's always fun having people stop
by wanting to see something again and
again. I was quite popular with these
postal inspectors. In fact, I felt like
I was pretty hot stuff.
Don't
leave me, I was being set up!
On
the last day of the show, during the last
hour of the day, and during my last presentation
for the day, I was on a roll. I had a
big crowd and couldn't ask for things
to be going better. When it came time
for the Card in Sealed Envelope I looked
to the back of the crowd and there must
have been thirty postal inspectors standing
in a 180-degree semi circle. They were
all holding one of the TYVEK envelopes
in one hand, while tapping it against
the tips of the fingers of the other hand.
It was the type gesture a cranky school
teacher might do to remind a kid he's
forgotten to turn in his homework. That
was pretty funny, especially since the
crowd proper, being in front of the semi
circle, couldn't see what they were doing.
It
got better. This particular day happened
to be my birthday. As I concluded my pitch
the DuPont booth people paraded to my
stand with a birthday cake decorated with
playing cards. The postal inspectors then
sang Happy Birthday tapping the TYVEK
envelopes on their fingers in time with
the music.
As
I mentioned. I was set up BIG TIME!
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