I'm curious about stories anyone may have about how you improvised an illusion "on the spot", with improvised props at the most, and had it work out. I'm not talking about close-up effects but something large. Here's my favorite:

Back when I was in the army I was living in barracks for awhile, four beds to a room. One weekend night a bunch of us had been watching some unremembered but creepy horror movie in the TV lounge while slinging back some beer, and I followed it up by telling a few ghost stories (remember I love bizarre work) and reading tarot cards.

I've always been good with the tarot, and some of the fellows got distinctly creeped out. Feeling rather satisfied with myself, I decided to get out while the going was good and turned in before the rest.

When I opened the door to my dark room, I saw that the moonlight and exterior illumination was streaming through the windows (my bed was one of the two over next to them) and an idea hit me.

At that point we all slept on top of our beds so we didn't have to make them before inspection in the morning, with just a sheet over us (it was midsummer). Thanks to the shape of the bed, a small cardboard box my motorcycle helmet came in, and the fact that I have very strong leg and abdominal muscles, I set up something unique.

When my rather drunk and creeped-out roommate came into the room to turn in 15 minutes later, he saw me apparently asleep floating 18 inches above my mattress!! I was covered with a sheet, but the exterior light had the whole thing illuminated so he could see there was nothing apparently holding me up (actually I had the box between my shoulder blades and the big toe of one foot on top of the footboard - that's where the strength part came in).

I heard the "dum de dum... <gasp!> <pause> <slam!> as he noticed and bolted off to get someone, and managed to keep faking my
"sleep" the whole while despite the fact I was dying to burst out laughing .

A minute or so later, I heard hoarse whispering outside the door, from the two or three fellows he had gone to get to show this to. Fortunately, he had picked all guys who had been in the TV lounge and were already drunk and feeling creepy. I could hear lots of whispered "no way"'s and
"you're nuts". The door opened, and the whispering cut off immediately, except for one or two whispered expletives... <Slam!> Off they went to get more guys.

I knew this time when they came back, they would be dead serious about finding out what was going on, so I ditched the box, laid flat on the mattress, and pretended to sleep (plus my muscles had had it). A few minutes later the door flew open, the lights smacked on, and about ten guys with broom handles burst into the room. I sat up groggily and said "what the heck is going on?" (well it may have been a little stronger than that...)

The guys who had seen me "floating" just stared, while all the other fellows they had gotten out of bed or pulled out of the lounge buried them with disgusted looks...

Of course they hauled me out of bed and demanded to know what was going on, but I feigned total ignorance. I almost got nailed when one guy noticed the skin on my bare back was covered with dark red lines (from the box).

Fortunately I had shifted around on it and they were apparently in no discernable pattern. I told him I had no idea what they were, but I had been having this wicked nightmare where I was being whipped... That just about caused one of the first fellows to faint dead away!

I never told any of them I had anything to do with what they saw, and for months afterward when we had a few drinks someone would always say something like "hey Frank and Joe, when you start seeing floating guys it's time to stop!!" Sometimes I felt bad for the ribbing they took for it, but I just couldn't ruin that moment by confessing!

Well that's mine, anyone else have one you want to share?

-bigwolf {*}

Funny one bigwolf!

Dude, I would be scared of you too, just your picture is enough... freaky

LOL! The new one or the old one? I had to replace the old one because I guess it was too much like an x-ray according to the guidelines.

-bigwolf {*}

Wow, that's one great story bigwolf. You must have been dying to tell somebody about it afterwards.

Now that's the part that scared AND scarred me most! Thanks for the flashback bigwolf. I'll never forget the days of sleeping on a perfectly made bunk as there would be no time to get it right every morning at 4:30AM. LOL!

Just when you thought you forgot.....

Randy Stewart

Great story Bigwolf. They are probably still talking about it to this day.

Brilliant!

It's events like that, that make people really consider the possibility of REAL magic!

Excellent story! I too, once created a similar scenario utilizing an improvised levitation. While not as impressive, it consisted of a standard office chair with no back, one of my good friends, and a bed sheet. You can figure out the rest on how it worked.

Although we didn't have the nifty lighting effect going on, it sure did amaze a group of 20+ people at a party!