“In 1340 the black death arrived on the shores of Italy and quickly spread across Europe. By the time the plague was done a third of the world population was dead. when somebody would show symptoms of having the dreaded disease they were ushered into a room in the house and locked in, nobody ever left those rooms alive. It is believed that the souls in those rooms attached their spirits to the keys that locked them in. A great many of these keys still exist, obviously this is one”
At least that is what I told the ladies in the antique store as the skeleton key I was buying rolled over in the open palm of my outstretched hand.
My wife and I were wandering through an antique mall just before it was closing. In the back of the store I found a bunch of skeleton keys less than five dollars each. One of my favorite effects from my magic days is a little something called the, Haunted Key. A skeleton key is laid across my palm and all on its own it slowly turns as if it is in a lock. It is an incredibly haunting effect that always gets a great response. The effect does not work with any skeleton key so once you know the secret you just have to keep trying them until you find one that does. I always buy the keys when I find them because I am always losing them.
When we walked up to the cash there was one other customer in the shop. I handed the cashier my prize. My wife pipes up, “Aren’t you going to show them why you are buying that key?” The cashier fell right in and said, “Yes, why are you buying this key?”
“Because it is haunted” I said offhandedly. Both the cashier and the other woman froze. “I’ll show you” I took the key laid it on my palm and we all watched as the key ever so slowly turned in my hand. After the very loud momentarily silence that followed the cashier asked, “Do all keys do that?”
“No, only the haunted ones”
“I want to test my keys at home, can you show me how you held it?”
I repeated the effect and again both watched intently. “Are you serious? Is it really haunted?”
I didn’t even get a chance to reply as the other customer did that for me. She said, “I think he is very serious” at which point I couldn’t help myself. I had to bring home the effect and opened my mouth,
“In 1340 the black death landed on the shores….”
Both women bought the story hook line and sinker. On the drive home I said to my wife, “I probably should have told them I am a magician and it was a trick”
“No” my wife instantly responded, “It is not your job, they can believe what they wish” and we laughed all the way home.
In 1974 my father opened up Perfect Magic. 42 years later that shop still exits both brick and mortar and on the web with my parents at the helm. Why not pay them a visit at PerfectMagic.com and if you want the Haunted Key which they still carry, tell them Brian sent you.
PanningForGold 