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The

Secret Created and Described by David Rega


T
here are a couple of magicians who will break my
legs in the parking lot of The Magic Castle when
they see that I've put this routine into Genii. It
opened my last Parlour set, then quickly became one of
my favorite routines ... and its not a trick! At least, I don't
think so. What it is, is amazing and entertaining and a
wonderful introduction of a performer to an audience.
It packs small, plays big, and is appropriate for a great
number of venues. This is why some magicians I admire
decided to add it to their repertoires after seeing the reaction that can be wrung from it.
1 was introduced to the trick in Mciuncc FogelIn Search
of the Sensational by Chris Woodward and Richard Mark
(Hermetic Press, 2007). It's called "Borderline Case," and is a
baffling demonstration of a currency paradox. Fogel learned
the routine from reading "Magical Shopping" in John Fisher's
Magic Book (Prentice-Hall, 1971).
Fisher stated that the tnck was an
adaptation of an old illogicality. It

was new to me, and I immediately

To Perform:

Step 1) Establish the premise.


"Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to give you a choice right
now. I can show you a card trick, or I can teach you the secret
to eternal happiness. Let's hear a round of applause for the card
trick ... and now a round of applause for eternal happiness."

I act as if it is a close call, but it never is. When I perform,


I am holding a "Disposable Deck" (a dealer item) at this
point, which I then crumple into a ball and toss away.
"Okay, the secret of eternal happiness. I think we can all
agree that in order to have eternal happiness, all the problems
of the world would need to be solved. Done. And we can further
agree that if we solved all the world's problems, everyone would
GENII

Extend your arms and hold, to pimp some applause


from the audience.

"I have worked out a system that will enable this to come to
pass. It's based on an existing monetary system. Any of you who
travel know that currency is always worth a little bit more in its
place of origin. That is the key to my system: Every state will
have its own form of currency. I know what you're thinking, it's
nuts, but as you'll see this system is foolproof. For an example,
let's take a look at two friendly neighboring states, New York
and New Jersey ... ."

Step 2) Produce a New York dollar, the bill depicted in


Figure 1.
"This is a New York dollar. You can tell by the picture of the
Empire State Building in the middle. As you can see, it's worth
a dollar in New York, but only 90 cents in New Jersey. That's

l O ^ N E W Y O R K

saw the entertainment potential in


Fogels presentation. 1 added some
things to it, and to my mind the
premise I introduced frames the
effect well at the beginning and
acts as solid punctuation at the
end. I also added a focus on the
audience volunteers and tweaked
the nature of the props used, as
1
you'll see.
Needed: Five large bills, as
shown in figures 1 and 2 (you may copy and enlarge
them), three of which are "New York dollars," two of
which are "New Jersey dollars," two cans or bottles of
beer, New York Yankees paraphernalia, New Jersey Nets
paraphernalia.
Have the props anywhere handy.

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be rich, and beer would be freeam I correct?"

M O N E

important, as you'll soon see. I also have a New Jersey dollar."

Display the dollar shown in Figure 2.


"You can tell it's a New Jersey dollar by the belching smokestacks. As you can see, this dollar is worth only 90 cents in New
York. There's a method to this, and to best illustrate the system
I need someone in the audience to represent the state of New
York. How about you?"

Bring up a gentleman from the audience, leading the


applause, and have him stand to your right.
"To eliminate any memory work, 1 thought we might dress
you as a New Yorker."

I place a Yankees cap on his head.


"Now, since you are a New Yorker, feel free to be as rude as
you'd like, okay?"

He will respond in the affirmative. If he's demonstrative,


he will take this opportunity to be rude, calling you a name.
This will get a big laugh from the audience. Why? While an
audience might be reticent about laughing for the benefit of
a performer, they love to laugh for one of their own. This is

good for everyone, as it loosens up the room.


If the "New Yorker" does not respond with rudeness,
lead him to it:
"Yes, you say? Do you want to add to that a link bit ... ?"
Then, if necessary:
"You're supposed to be rude, after all."
This will prod the volunteer to say something rude. It
doesn't matter what he says. It will not offend anyone as
you are not the one saying it. You can act horrified here, or
hang your head, or break into laughterany way you
respond adds to the moment, which seems spontaneous.
"I'm going to give you a New York dollar, worth a buck where
you live, plus a New Jersey dollar, worth only 90 cents to you,
I'm afraid. So all totaled, you have how much? That's right, a
dollar 90 cents. Let's remember that."
Hand your New Yorker the two bills as you mention
them.
"Okay, we have our New Yorker, now we need someone to
represent New Jersey. Would you do the honors?"

Step 3) Lead applause for a second volunteer and have


him stand to your left.

'7 start out with one dollar. No more, no lessone dollar


Let's take a tnp to New York!"

Turn to your New Yorker.


"Hello, Mr New Yorker!"

He will respond, generally rudely, generating a big


laugh once more. If he forgets to be rude, remind him, as
before. He will comply
"I'd like to buy a 10-ccnl beer from vou. Here's a dollar."

Hand the volunteer your New York dollar and take the
beer.
"You owe me 90 cents change. Do vou haw any thing worth
90 cents? Oh, that's right, ihe New Jersey dollar is worth only
90 cents!"

Take the New Jersey dollar from your New Yorker and
address the audience:
"Now let's hop over to New Jersey!"

Turn to your second volunteer.


"Hello, Mr. New Jersey!"

He will respond and probably scratch. II not, ask ll


anything itches.
"I'd like to buy a W-cent beer from vou. Here's a dollar ... ."
Hand the second volunteer
the New Jersey dollar and take
the beer.

NEW JERSEY MONEY


L11180916C

"You owe me 90 cents change


do vou have anything worth 90
cents? What do you know, vou
have a New York dollar, worth only
90 cents to you."

Take the New York dollar.


Step 5) Turn to the audience.

(WORTHWCjNtSmNEW YORK)
"I wanted to give you a cap for a New Jersey sports team,
but they don't exist. All I could find was a slightly soiled towel
from the locker room of the New Jersey Nets."

Here I place a New Jersey Nets towel around the second


volunteer's shoulders.
"Now since you represent New Jersey, feel free to scratch
anything at any time."

The volunteer usually complies immediately.


"I'm giving you a New Jersey dollar, worth a full dollar to
you, and also a New York dollar, worth, in New Jersey, only 90
cents. So you, too, are holding a dollar 90. Here's where it gets
interesting ... ."

Place a beer near each volunteer. If you have no tables,


use their pockets.
"I'm going to buy a beer from each of you. Now beer, in this
Utopian future, costs only a dime. I know, I said beer would be
free. Wait."

Step 4) Pick up the final dollar (a New York dollar) and


look straight at the audience.

"Let's take a look at what just


happened, shall we? Mr. New York,
you started with a dollar 90what
do you have now?"

He n o w h o l d s t w o N e w
York d o l l a r s , a n d will r e p l y " t w o d o l l a r s . "
"That's right, two dollarsvou made a profit!"

Turn to your second volunteer.


"And Mr. New Jersey? You started with a dollar 90how
much do you have?"

He now holds two New Jersey dollars.


"Yes, you have two dollarsyou made a profit, too!"

This is the moment for the big build-up, so act as if


you are about to tell the audience something incredible
... and you are.
"Folks, look what I'm holding. I still have the dollar I started
out with, plus I have two beers! Did I solve all the problems
of the world?"

Extend your arms for applause. Hold, then gather the


props from your helpers as you goose the applause, this
time for your volunteers.
"Could we have a hand (or Mr. New York. No, you don't gel
to keep the cap. And Mr. New Jersey ... two wonderful human
beings who aided us as we solved the world's ills.'"'
JUNE 2008

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