I wasn’t sure where to post this, but this seems like as good a place as any. I am going to be performing several effects at an adult party next weekend at the house of some very good friends.

They happen to have a 14-year-old son who was born with congenital muscular dystrophy. He is wheelchair-bound and his body continues to deteriorate with time, but his mind is as sharp as any teenager I know. I’ve been thinking I would like to be able to teach him how to do a trick that he can fool his parents and some friends with. Because of his physical limitations I think a card trick where he doesn’t handle the cards himself is probably the best option, but I haven’t been able to think of a suitable one. I would greatly appreciate it if anyone can give me an idea?

Just for the record I have never gone to perform with the intent to teach someone a trick and/or reveal any magical secrets. This is a very special case. More than once in the last couple of years when I was feeling down about something I would think about him and his ever cheerful, positive attitude, and it always put any problem I was having in perspective, and I would love to repay him for that in this way.

Thanks in advance if anyone can help me with this.

Hey Bluzzmagic,

I agree that sort of magic is a good idea. I also prefer this kind of magic, and I don't have the problems of the 14-year-old-boy.
There are some of this, I like:
- 10 for 10 (from Joshua Jay)
- Poker (from Joshua Jay)
- My DAD's cardtrick (from Richard Osterlind)

An alternative is mental magic. May be, he will enjoy it en become a magician!
I don't think it is a problem, when you tell him one trick.

Much succes, Magic Harry.

I can't imagine a better person to teach magic to. You mention that he is weelchair bound. Does he have some use of hands? could he control a wand with his head/mouth if not? Being able to cheer up others would help him alot.
John

Actually he doesn't have very good use of his hands due to contractures, etc. Obviously this makes it tough for any hands-on work on his part. Mentalism isn't really my forte, although I have considered it. I do have a copy of Mental Yarn which I never have cared to use, but maybe that would be something to consider.

Just a thought:

Get him some Fourtune telling Fish, they are GREAT give-aways, he doesn't have to do anything (he can act like he is controlling the fish with his mind) and people LOVE them. He'll have fun and he will get to interact with others and each outcome will be different, so it never gets tired or boring.

You can get a gross of them for about $10.00

Good luck...

Lazy Mans Card trick from Close-Up Card Magic by Harry Lorayne. He won't have to touch the deck but will have to instruct the spectator.

I'd go the mental magic route. There are TONS of fantastic stuff out there using nothing more than ones brain and words that are total knock-out effects.

You can start with something like the "1089" effect that is very easy and plays well. In that effect, you force the number 1089, open a book to page 108 and look at the 9th word and then open a previously made "prediction" which match, as an example.

Check out DVDs from someone like Richard Osterlind and Max Maven. He can learn directly from them, via DVD, since that's not your forte. You could even watch these with him and learn some new stuff as well.

I'll bet he'd appreciate your willingness to spend some time with him much more than you could ever imagine.

Great idea you have and I wish you the best!

Mark.

I agree that a mental would appeal to him. One I like (don't know its real name but I have always called it Crazy 8) uses an 8 in a layout shaped like the spots on the 8. He (or you, whichever you decide) can turn around while someone picks a card. The other then touches each card twice; on the first time around, touch the spot on the 8 to represent where the chosen card is.

Whatever you do, I hope it goes well.

Michael

I've also seen that done with a 10 card. You'll need a confederate to do it as Michael mentions.

Lay the cards out in the pattern of the spots on a 10 card (4 - 2 - 4), turn around, have someone silently pick (touch) a card, and then when you turn around the confederate first touches the cards spot on the actual 10 card, then randomly touches other cards, asking if this is the card selected with the magician finally revealing what the actual card was.

Great (and easy) trick that kills.

Mark.

I really appreciate the suggestions so far, you guys have given me some great ideas. I have to laugh because I actually recently was looking at the Crazy 8 trick mentioned by Micheal, (or the 10 card pattern by Mark), however, the version I saw used nine cards. Funny how many variations of the same trick.

Thanks again, everyone, I knew I could count on this forum for some help.

Glad to help. Keep us posted on what you decide and how it works out.

I'm sure other great suggestions will also follow.

Mark.

Echo what Mark says. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Michael

In the way of an update, I showed him the nine card trick and he may use that on some friends soon. For his parents he and I did a version of Psychometry as a team. I handled the cards but he did all the talking and in essence performed the trick itself. Not sure who enjoyed it more, him or me. I think the teamwork slant is going to be fun to do with him some more, and it certainly opens up a multitude of options.

Thanks again for the ideas, guys.

What about giving him IT?