The Desert Fox
It was one of those glorious, warm winter days in the desert. I felt wonderfully content as I drove through the lush, luxurious community of Palm Springs, California. Carol and I were appearing in the “Fabulous Follies Revue” in that famous spa. I felt doubly fortunate for in nearby Palm Desert lived my dear friend the wily Desert Fox.
I turned into the Desert Greens, a large, sprawling, exquisite complex and drove toward the fox’s lair. As always, it will be a joyous afternoon romancing our great love — the goddess of magic. One never quite knew just what to expect on those afternoons. Certainly they would be filled with fun, magic, and surprises.
All this was going through my mind when suddenly, there sitting on a chair in the middle of the street, as if from nowhere, was “the King Of Korn” himself — a surprise indeed!
“Hi Marv, I have a few new tricks to show you. Let’s go inside.” Karrell’s warm greeting always began the same way. I knew I was in for a veritable feast of magical goodies. And, so, the afternoon went too quickly as Karrell paraded before me an endless cornucopia of ideas, tricks, refinements and just plain good advise that only comes from years of that priceless commodity called experience.
“My gosh, I’d better go,” I said, “Have to charge the batteries for the show tonight!”
“OK, Marv, but let me show you just one more trick!”
I drove out of the Desert Greens, down country club road and back toward Palm Springs. The sun had set. There was a chill in the air which was normal in this desert paradise.
I felt warm. I felt good and I had added to my magical knowledge, as you will, by reading and enjoying this book.
Like me, you will spend a pleasurable few hours with that kindly, incomparable giant of our craft — the Desert Fox.
Marvyn Roy
Howitlookz
Magician displays a small amber-colored medicine (pill) bottle. These bottles are made of plastic. Chances are you have several empty (or near empty) ones in your medicine cabinet. If not, I’m sure your local druggist can supply one. Make sure it has a screw-on cap instead of one that just pushes on. You have to gimmick the pill bottle. However, I’m getting ahead of myself. First, the effect.
Magician borrows a finger ring (mens or ladies) and wraps it in the folds of a white pocket handkerchief. The bundled up hank is held in left hand. Right hand picks up pill bottle. As left hand shakes out handkerchief, the right hand starts shaking the pill bottle. It rattles! Left hand unscrews pill bottle lid, and dumps its contents into spectator’s waiting hands. It is the borrowed ring!
Howitzdun
A small hole, three quarters of an inch in diameter is made in the back of the pill bottle. I used a quarter-inch drill to do this. As long as the hole is kept to the back (and it always is), the bottle looks fair and honest. As you are wrapping ring in handkerchief, your right hand steals it out. As right hand picks up pill bottle, the ring is slipped into the hole in the back of the bottle. As left hand shakes out handkerchief, right hand shakes pill bottle. Unscrew the lid of the pill bottle with left hand, and dump out ring into spectator’s hand.
