Is
Da Bagician Home
By
Mike Rogers
Is Da
Bagician Home? That's a question I used to hear
frequently forty-two years ago when I was a
young married enlisted man in the navy. I was
stationed in Pensacola, Florida and my wife
and I lived in what was known as Navy Housing.
This amounted to multi housing units much like
any other government operated housing project.
Living was adequate at best, little more. Many
families were crammed in close quarters sharing
common yards and walkways. It wasn't very pleasant,
but one pleasing aspect was the close friendships,
which developed. One such friendship was with
a young five year old toe-headed little kid
who discovered I was a magician.
I don't
recall this little guy's name, but I do recall
all the times he'd come to visit me just to
see another magic trick. He and I would sit
on the small front porch while I'd entertain
him with whatever I could think of for the conditions.
He loved magic and he always wanted to be part
of the trick. Even if the effect was one not
in need of a spectator volunteer he still insisted
on saying the magic words or waving his hand
in a magical gesture.
When
I'd ask him to say the magic words he never
replied with the standard Hocus Pocus, or any
of the other common phrases kids learn early
in life. Instead his magic words were always,
"Yes sir, no sir, thank you, please."
I can't be sure, but I believe those were the
words always used as magic words on the old
Captain Kangaroo TV show. Anyway, this little
guy used them often.
During
that period I was in Air Traffic Control and
had to work what we called a 24-hour watch bill.
There was lots of night work and lots of sleeping
during the day. Many times after working all
night and sleeping until the middle of the afternoon
I'd be awakened by a knock on the door and a
young five-year-old voice asking, "Is Da Bagician
Home." He couldn't say "magician" nor did he
know my name. I was simply Da Bagician.
Today
this little kid would be in his forties. I wonder
if he remembers our times together and I wonder
if he even has an interest in watching magic.
Back then little did I know what was involved
in building a career around magic, or what obstacles
I'd meet along the way. Doing a trick with a
thumb tip for this little kid seemed to be what
it was all about.
Today,
after a career in the dog-eat-dog world of professional
magic, the deals gone bad, the deals that jelled,
and the constant reminder that someone out there
is waiting in the wings to take your job, I'd
sure enjoy hearing a knock at the door and a
young voice asking, "Is Da Bagician Home?"
Maybe doing
a trick with a thumb tip for a five year old little
kid is what it's all about.
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