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addition. The mentalist is able to beat acalculator's speed in determining the total toevery problem. Finally, he predicts the totalof a problem yet to be seen! All of this provesan ability to see into the future!

Her Number .- Two women both writedown a phone number of a friend and theirown numbers on the back of a business card.While one holds the card, you tell them whichnumber is which, and finally reveal one ofthewomen's phone numbers!

: Libretta Minutia _. A spectator putsthree tiny number cards together in anymanner he wishes. This creates a three-digitnumber that represents a random page from aminiature book. He looks at the chosen pageand silently reads a word. The mentalistreveals the mentally chosen word, The charmof this trick is only surpassed by its cleanmethod.

Ouijan •• A spectator thinks of anumber from I to 10. The mentalist touches aplanchette on a tiny Ouija board. The spiritsmove it until finally stopping on thespectator's mentally chosen number.

The effects in this volume could beplayed together to form a complete andbalanced close-up program. Busy performersare always on the watch for good close-upmentalism;here it is.

Book of Numbers

Doee Co. - P.O. Box 546022 Bal Harbour. FL 33154- doee@doeehilford.eom

(J":3B]~S":3nnu FThe

!f you thought number mentalism wasabout arithmetic, you don't know TheBook of Numbers! In this, the second

. volume of the three volume set, Doccreveals his original creations as well as somegenuinely concealed secrets of infamousspirit mediums. Of course, these too haveDocc's twists. All are designed for intimatesurroundings. The tricks in this book aren'tabout arithmetic; they're about phonenumbers, Q and A, dice lli",Q Ouija boards.This is strong, close-up mentalism.

Tempest _. A person writes a questionon a slip of paper, folds it, and hides it under--------..... one of three

inverted cups.Although thementalist has hadhis back turnedduring thisprocedure, he'sable to identifywhich cup covers

.... oIthe paper and to

accurately answerthe guestion! Ifyou want to be a billet reader,this is for you.

Devil Dice .- The mentalist tells a taleabout gambling with the devil. He puts his'wallet on a table. A spectator rolls a pair ofdice three times. The numbers on the dice aretotaled. Inside the wallet is a· writtenprophesy that predicts the total. There are no ..---------------.forces or indexes. Just one prediction is usedand it's written before the spectator sees thenumbers on the dice.

Dicipber Bars _. A set of unusualnumbered bars are randomly positioned tomake more and more difficult problems in

.,

the

Bookof

NUMBERSVol. 2

Number Mentalism For

Intimate. Occasions

D occ H ilford

Copyright© 2006 Docc Hilford

First printing February, 2006

No portion of this book or original illustrations can be reproduced in anymanner without written permission of the copyright owner.

Docc Co.p.a.Box 546022 Bal Harbour, FL 33154

docc@docchilford.com

2

What is Real Time Mentalism?Mentalistic effects are only entertaining if they're shown

to someone. There are hundreds of fine effects designed forstage, stand-up or close-up situations, but few that can beperformed without the necessity of any special props or set-ups.Swami gimmicks, nail writers and peek wallets can be forgot­ten on the dresser and our best pieces are never seen by anyone.An unprepared performer cannot perform. most of the effectsavailable, and so, often doesn't perform. at all.

If an effect is Real Time, it doesn't require any gimmicks.Of course, gimmicked methods may be slightly easier to use,but Real Time Mentalism™ provides alternate techniques. It isleft up to the performer whether he or she will use a specialgimmick he or she has ready, or entertain with nothing morethan borrowed items at hand. Real Time Mentalism™ is truly100% impromptu. This is great for those who want to readminds, influence thought or generally chill any audience at asimple request.

The effects that I'm releasing as Real Time Mentalism"are restricted to tricks that can be preformed "on the fly", thatis, without special preparation or special gimmicks. Somerequire more than one spectator or a few borrowed items, butall are designed for use in everyday situations. They're alltested in front of real people by myself as well as ahandful ofprofessional mentalists before they're released to you.

As with all of the effects I publish, these are original andstrong. I hope you use these effects. That's what they're meantfor.

Docc Hilford

3

Dedicated to

David Berglas

4

..,I1NTROOUCT10N

Give It a Reason

"Anybody. with money can buy tricks and any- .body with a little imagination can invent'em, butselling them to an audience is something elseagain. A pinch of showmanship and a few tea­spoons of build-up are worth a trunk full ofgimmicks."

Merlini - Clayton Rawson

Thousands of years in the future, the human race hadsplit into two distinct factions; the beautiful, yet fragile Over­worlders and the cannibalistic Morlocks. The Time Traveler,as he was known in the H. G. Wells' classic novel, wasreported to have returned to his original time just long enoughto speak to Filby and grab three books that could turn the tidefor future mankind. The eternal question remains; what threebooks would you have taken?

We have become the entertainers of the future. One hasbut to read the 1943 classic, Showmanship for Magicians tohear the bygone howls' across sixty-two years. The author'sapparent distain for the performance styles of the day, or moreaccurately the lack of style, prompted desperate pleas of re­form. Dariel Fitzkee's poignant view of the future was one of

5

theatrical utopia. Sadly, the evils that prompted his writing thebook have increased over time.

Yes, our race of theatrical performers has evolved into aclass of passive, delicate Overworlders where the necessity ofskill is not required and in most cases even loathed. Like pallidcattle, they mindlessly chase butterflies of brightly decoratedpackages filled with shiny promises of grandeur. When called,like Pavlovian puppies they're drawn to gingerbread slaughter­houses bearing the assurances of "NO SKILL REQUIRED,HERE". The rotting tomes of reason crumble into dust aroundthem. They do no harm, and as such, contribute nothing to therace. They are feeders; happy, content feeders.

The opposing half of evolution's distorted play areaggressive, cannibalistic ghouls, stealing any bloody scrap ofanother's act. Constantly hunting for new material, not freshoriginal matter, but rather that which has been infused withvitality from another. Having not invested time nor energy intothe careful growth and development of a particular performancepiece, they ravage what they steal, breaking bone and suckingthe sweet marrow until the piece no longer satisfies theirhunger. When they have devoured anything beautiful from thestolen property, they attack in the nocturnal safety and feastagain. The future of magical performance is an "us or them"culture.

The blessed god of showmanship is so elusive to thesefactions that it's disregarded. Much as a guilty child hides hisuneaten vegetables, knowing his parent watches yet pretendinghis actions are of no concern, the Overworlders and Morlockscontinue to act as if there is no. god, no more required ofperforming than knowledge of the secret method. For theoccasional heretic who parrots the patter lines either includedon a sheet of instructions or from the mouth of another, hebelieves he has paid homage and touched the skirt of showman-

6

ship. His work is finished.

Showmanship is not a god, nor is it an intangible theory.It is a required ingredient to any performance, whether in asimplistic card revelation or a publicized headline prediction. Itisn't a clawed creature that dwells in a cerebral cave and mustbe hunted nor is it a delectable fruit dangling from a highbranch to be sought and harvested. It is the result of carefulthought. .

Consider one of magic's standard effects, that of pro­ducing a red silk, changing its color to blue and causing saidsilk to vanish. As Tommy Wonder remarked, that is a. veryconfused magician. Yet it's a standard presentation, one en­tirely lacking in showmanship. Tony Andruzzi commented thatthere was no good reason for a master of the cosmos tocommand Nature's laws and produce a handkerchief, unless hewanted to blow his nose! He went on to say that the magician'sconfusion continued by changing the silk's color. If he hadwanted a blue silk, why didn't he produce one in the first place?And then, for no apparent reason, without ever using the silk,he makes the thing disappear!

Tony touched upon the fundamental problem with thislifeless routine when he mentioned "no apparent reason". The­atrical reason is the fertile soil in which showmanship grows.Without it, there is no place for roots to take hold. The slightestbit of motivation could transform this flat display of fingerflicking into a heartfeltpiece worthy of the dramatic stage.

Imagine that the aforementioned mage describes anantique, silver hand-mirror. He doesn't actually possess one, itexists only in pantomime. In brief patter, he explains that themirror holds the' reflections of a hundred years. With hisremarkable power, he is able to reach into the glass and extracta bit of a forgotten scene. He produces, not a red silk, but alavender colored lace. He goes on to explain that the memory

7

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made physical is fleeting, as the color disappears from the laceleaving only white and that soon, it will vanish completely.Having said that, the lace disappears, apparently returning tothe reflection in the imaginary mirror. This is but one simpleillustration of giving a reason to why things happen in aperformance.

In mentalism, the pendulum tends to swing in theopposite direction. Amateur psychic entertainers often want tovindicate every step of a procedure. They wish to motivate theparticipants with lengthy lectures on the cosmic rationale be­hind writing something on a slip of paper. A simple story cangrow into a grand and poorly written tale of deceased unclesand bequeathed cigars boxes containing decks of playing cardsrubbed brown with shoe polish. What these neophytes believeto be well-scripted monologues often sound more like babblingadolescent boys selling a girl on the benefits of a midnight carride.

There must be a balance. It must' be learned, boththrough intellectual pursuit and through experience. There aremany good books on the subject of theatrical reasoning andshowmanship. Take another look at Henning Nelms' Magicand Showmanship, Strong Magic by Darwin Ortiz and thepreviously mentioned Showmanship for Magicians by DarielFitzkee. As you travel into the future of magical performance,what three books will you take?

Docc Hilford- February, 2006

8

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T3MP3sTA well-known mentalist said he calls me Docc "Billet"

Hilford. Well, it's better than some things I've been called.He's right, I do lovebillet effects.

Here is a clean, easy and clever way to secretly read abillet.

3FF3cT: A person writes a question on a slip ofpaper, folds it, and hides it under one of three inverted cups.Although the mentalist has had his back turned during thisprocedure, he's able to instantly identify which cup covers thepaper. Then, without any 'apparent effort, he's able to accuratelyanswer the question! .

PR3s3NTAT10N: The waitress recognized thetall, handsome mentalist. "Aren't you Mirador?" she asked.The group offriends enjoying the bistro's sidewalk sunshinealllaughed. Mirador was often recognized and expected to per­form one of his amazing demonstrations. Today was no excep­tion.

Mirador asked the waitress, "Is there something youwish to know about your future? Here, write a question on theback of my business card. Use as few words as are necessarytoexpress your question. Print the letters clearly and concentrateon each letter as you write them. Make certain I never see whatyou write. When you're finished, fold the card so the writing'son the inside, that way no one will see your query."

The waitress, whose name was Ashley, was an aspiring

9

I'

11

actress and stealthily wrote the words WILL I 13E A STAR?She folded the card and placed it on the table. Mirador turnedthree tea cups mouth down on the table and instructed Ashley,"Put your question under any of the three cups, like this." Heraised a cup and placed the folded card under it. Almostimmediately, he lifted the cup and used it to push the cardtoward Ashley.

"You can pick any of the three cups, but wait until I'veturned away. OK?"

Mirador turned his body from the table as Ashley hidher question. He continued, "You see, I need to get in touchwith the forces of Fate herself. If I pick the cup that has yourquestion, Fate wishes for me to answer it with my gift. If, as theodds favor, I miss the correct cup, I cannot answer. You'll haveto wait for a another opportunity."

By this time, Ashley had hidden the folded card underthe middle cup.

"Ashley, I want to be certain that I'm not influenced byany subconscious information I may have collected, so switchthe two cups where the paper isn't. That is to say, leave the cuphiding your question alone and switch the other two."

After she had complied, Mirador faced her. He held hisopen hand over the cups, moving it from end to end. Finally, helifted the center cup to reveal the card..Mirador picked up thecard, turned the cup mouth up, dropped the folded card into itand placed it back on the table. He told Ashley tohold her question in her fist and to relax her mind.

Slowly and with assuredness, he answeredher question. "Ashley, I see you workingunder two different hats; one to supportyourself financially and one of yourdream. You must follow that dream.

10

It's important not to give up. You willtwinkle and shine then drop into the dark

.again, but you must persevere. You may not'attain the brilliance you imagine right now,but you will reach a level of fame as high asyou believe."

Ashley opened her card and showedeveryone how accurate Mirador had been with his psychicanswer. "It's a gift," he said.

M3THOD': What has become know as the KorariCupTrick actually predates Al Koran by many years. It's believed tobe the creation of that mad genius, Bob Hummer.

In this rendition, the mixing of the cups is eliminated. Inthe minds of the audience, the first trick isn't for the mentalistto find the hidden paper. It's a test to see if Fate allows him toanswer her question, an idea ofDavid Alexander.

As in many of my favorite pieces, the first trick sets upthe second. Before you begin the trick, secretly have a duplicatefolded business card finger palmed in your right hand. Whenyou show the participant how to hide her folded card, pick it upwith your right hand and switch it for the duplicate as you placeit under the cup. (If you don't know about billet switches, referto Thirteen Steps to Mentalism by Corinda, or Practical MentalEffects by Annemann.)

While the participant hides the card and switches twocups, you have lots of time to secretly open the copped card andread the question. A tip is to hold your elbows tightly againstyour sides so no one sees any movement while you finger thecard. The misdirection is so strong that not one in a hundredwill find it more interesting to look at your back, than what theparticipant is doing with the cups and her (apparent) question

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card. Be certain you're not facing a hidden reflective surface. Atelevision screen is how Peyton Raven caught me opening thebillet in rehearsal. (Another reason one should rehearse in the typeof venue in which he'll perform.)

After you reveal the correct cup, lift it with your left hand,turn it mouth up, pick up the billet with your right hand (the handthat has the question card finger palmed), switch the billets anddrop the question card in the cup. Replace the cup to its originalspot on the table mouth up and you're clean. You're so clean! Thereplacement is executed in one, smooth action. The crafty work isdone before you even start the question answering.

All that's left to explain is how to find the correct cup. Theformula is simple. Note an imperfection or distinguishing mark onthe bottom of one cup before you turn around. Remember itslocation in the row of cups. If the participant switches the twocups that DON NOT cover the folded card, it means that eithershe moved the marked cup or she didn't. .

Turn around and look at the new positions of the cup. Ifthe marked cup is in the same position, the paper IS under it. Ifthemarked cup has been moved, the card ISN'T under it, nor theposition WHERE THE CUP ORIGINALLY WAS! The card isunder the OTHER cup.

Give yourself some time between the revelation of thehidden card and the answer to her question and everyone willremember that you never touched the folded card.

NOT3: Here's a little known tip. Many people know thatplastic cups have production numbers embossed on the bottom ofeach cup. What most don't know is that each cup, in a sealed stackof cups, has a different number. It's ·possible to do this effect bynoting a certain number on one of the cups. You can also performa version of Pseudo Psychometry with the numbered cups. Thereare many possibilities for an active imagination.

12

'a .\I . J

\ '/

D3VIL D1csIf you like story performance, this is a prize. It's based

on an effect I created for the Desert Brainstorm videos. I likethis version better.

3F F 3CT: The mentalist tells a tale about gamblingwith the devil. He puts his wallet on a table. A spectator rolls apair of dice three times. The numbers on the dice are totaled.Inside the wallet is a written prophesy that predicted the total.

PR3S3NTAT10N: Having returned to the pala­cious home of their host, the group of revelers retired to thestudy. They needed to relax after an evening of dining, dancingand cocktails. Mirador was asked to perform a final demonstra­tion of mind reading.

"Good, it's dark. And I have a strange tale to tell,"Mirador began. "Francis, you're who I need to help me." Hepointed out one of the young partiers. Francis was well ac­quainted with strange stories and stood aside the tall mentalistnear a small wine table.

"Have you ever played dice with the devil? I have. Itwas on the thirteenth day of the thirteenth month. Lou turned tome and said, 'Mirador.. .' - Lou, he let's me call him Lou. Hesaid, 'Mirador, I'm going to roll a set of old bones'." Miradorshowed everyone a set of aged, yellow, ivory dice.

He continued, "The devil told me, 'Each roll will makea two digit number. After three rolls we'll add the numberstogether'." Mirador grabbed two note pads. He held one up and

13

touched the pad where three numbers will go. He drew a line nearthe bottom of the pad and laid it with the pencil on the table.

"The devil smiled at me and said, 'If you can guess thetotal, you can have any wish you want granted. If you fail, youowe me three more souls.' I decided to take the offer; after all,they weren't my souls I was wagering.

"First, he had me roll the dice a few times to prove theywere void of trickery. Francis, you play my part and I'll play thepart of... well." Francis rolled the dice and each time differentnumbers appeared on top. "When the devil got ready to roll, hemade certain I couldn't see the dice. So, I'll tum with my back toyou and cover my eyes." Mirador turned away, took the other padand held it over his eyes.

Mirador spoke with his back to everyone, "Francis, Iselected you to participate in our little play because you seemdevilish to me. Please, do exactly and only as I tell you. Roll thedice once. Then arrange them so they make a two-digit number,one cube on the left and one on the right." Francis rolled the diceand set them in a row.

"Are you satisfied that you have a random number there;if not, you can roll again. To continue, the devil tried to deceiveme a little. You see, because he's from down below, he used thenumbers on the bottom of the dice, not the numbers on the top.So Francis, flip each dice, oneat a time, a half tum, 180?over, so the bottoms are nowthe tops. The sides that weretouching the table should nowbe now visible. Write thattwo-digit number on the pad,near the top."

Mirador took out hiswallet. Keeping his eyes cov-

14

ered with the pad, he dropped the wallet on the table. "This hassomething for you --later. Now, pick upthe dice and roll themagain. Make a new two-digit Write the number on the pad inthe middle. Do as before and tum each dice a half turn over.That makes the bottoms the tops. Write that number near thebottom of the pad. Finally, total the three numbers. Write it bigacross a blank sheet of the pad."

Francis followed Mirador's instructions while Miradorwrote something on his pad. He turned to face Francis. Miradorheld a pad in his hand. Francis held his pad.

"Here's where I beat the devil. On this pad, I wrotewhat I believe to be the total of the numbers you created atrandom. Francis, my thought is 90." Mirador held up his pad.Written across it in pen was the number 90. Francis held up hispad. It too read, 90.

"But, wait. That night the devil told me he had some­thing that belonged to me. Tonight, Francis, I'm telling you thatI have something for you in my wallet. Something important."Everyone anxiously anticipated what was about to happen.

Mirador continued, "There's an envelope inside mywallet and what's inside the envelope has been in my wallet formonths. Remember, I put my wallet on the table before youchose a single number. I haven't touched it since. Francis, openmy wallet. Do you see a zipper compartment? Good. Unzip itand inside you'll see an envelope. Take the envelope out, tear itopen, and read what I wrote on the card sealed inside.

Francis opened the wallet. The envelope inside wasmade of tan parchment and sealed with several blobs of redwax. He read what was written on a folded piece of yellowparchment. It said, 'I know Francis will choose three numbersthat will total 90. I win! Lou Cypher. '

"You see, you can't beat the devil at his own game!"

15

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FIG 1

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One final thought. Contrary to popular magical jargon,the singular for DICE is still DICE, not die!

You explain how the participantis to flip the dice over and secretly write'90' on a previously prepared piece ofparchment paper. Everything written onthe parchment, with the exception of thenumber, is written ahead of time. Thepaper is pre-folded in half, but openagainst the pad. It's secretly held inplace on the first page by four littlephoto tabs. (SEE FIG 2) This is hiddenunder the pad's cover. Fill in the number

. as soon as you know it. It won't benoticed because you're apparently hold­ing the pad with both hands. It takes but

a moment to write a number and your back is turned, so you'resafe. Fold the parchment in half and palm it away.

Your wallet is set up for a "Card in Wallet". Reach inyour pocket and load the folded parchment paper into theenvelope inside the wallet. There are hundreds of methods forCard in Wallet effects, use your favorite method. Again, noone's watching you; they're all watching the participant. Every­thing is finished BEFORE the first number is seen by anyone!

This piece isn't actually Real Time Mentalism" be­cause you have to have dice available. Since there's a require­ment for a prop, there shouldn't be a problem with having yourwallet set. Note that a business card and a couple of smallnotepads are organic to any situation, but if you're performingon stage, you may want to use large writing pads so everyonecan see what's written.

i~

M3THOD: Although all the numbers are freelyselected, we're concerned with the total. By using a "top side /bottom side" ploy, you actually force the number 77 as part ofthe total. Here's how. As magicians know, the spots on the topside of a dice and the spots on the bottom always total seven.By using two dice as a two-digit number, and by using the topand bottom sides, the two numbers will always make a total of77 when added together. For example, if the second numbersrolled are 3 and 5 the bottom sides are 4 and 2. (35 + 42 = 77)The total of the second and third numbers will always be 77.

So, when you know the first number rolled, you alreadyknow the total. All you have to do is add the first number to 77.

To get that number requires a.cheeky little move. You simply look atthe dice. But you do it in a mannerthat's invisible to the audience. Thecasual glimpse was made famous inthe effect, Mystery of the Blackboard.by Ted Annemann. When you tell theparticipant, "Are you satisfied that youhave a random number there; if not,you can roll again ..." you tum to the table and look at the dice.Because you hold the pad over your eyes, no one sees whereyou're looking. (SEE FIG 1) It's a natural move to tum andgesture to the table when talking about the dice. In addition, theparticipant thinks you can't see the sides he'll use anyway ­that is if he thinks about it at all.

As soon as you know the number on top of the dice, youcalculate the bottom number. In the example above, Miradorsaw a 6 and a 4. Subtracting each number from seven gives thenumber on the bottom. (7 - 6 = 1) and (7 - 4 = 3) so the firstnumber will be 13. Mentally add that to 77 and you get thetotal. (13 + 77 = 90)

16 17

20

M3THOO: The four bars aren't Persian dice, butrather a magic dealer item sold under many names. The fournumerals on each side of the bar, or pillar, add up to nineteenand a key number located in the third position down the column(SEE FIG 3)

By looking at the third four-digit number (the keynumber), you know the total of all the numbers. Just put a 2 infront and subtract a 2 off the end. Therefore, in the exampleabove if the numbers to be added are 4,999 5,243 3,487 and9,756, the third number is the key. Add a 2 at the front (23,487)and subtract 2 from the end (23,485) gives the total of all fournumbers.

What isn't in the directions of any purchased set ofbars,is the fact that you can flip any or all of the bars end for endwith out disturbing the system. You can also adjust the bars tomake up to sixteen numbers as in the illustration withoutchanging anything. (SEE FIG 3)You must simply always usethe key numerals on each bar to calculate your total. It's easy,but very impressive.

Predicting the total on the other side of the blocks iseasy because the second number down on each bar is the keynumber from the other side. You have to read the key numberfrom right to left because it's reversed, but other than that, it'sthe same formula. Add a 2 to the front and subtract a 2 from theback. It takes only a few seconds to see the total before thenumbers are shown.

Because you re-adjust the positions of the bars beforeflipping them makes it seem as if a new random number isgenerated. If you wished, you could have the participant slidethe bars up or down after they're flipped without changing thetotal. However, in performance, it's a bit much.

Ifyou can't find these bars anywhere, and that would be

21

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"24,643"

Dr. Wood pressed all the ran­dom numbers into the calculator.9,000 + 2,030 + 4,388 + 7,643 + 875+ 707 = 24,643! Mirador was correctagain.

Mirador laid the bars on the table so that one of the barswas upside down and they weren't aligned flush at the top orbottom. "Just be certain that we count any empty spaces aszeros and that upside down nines aren't counted as sixes."

Tiffany rolled all four bars;she flipped one over and slid a coupleup. Mirador jotted a number on theback of one of his business cards. Ittook him less than five seconds to doso. He tossed the card aside and calledout a total. Tiffany wrote what he saidon another card.

"I'll tell you how I can do thislittle stunt. I cheat! I'm really no math wiz. I simply look intothe future a few moments and see what total you'll come upwith using the calculator!"

The mentalist told the mathematician to push the barsso they made four, four digit numbers, hold them together likea block and tum the entire group over as one piece. The fournumbers were 2,768 7,443 3,825 9,387. Tiffany added thenumbers on the calculator. The sum came to 23,422.

"Take a look at that card I wrote before either of us evensaw the numbers," Mirador instructed. On the card was thenumber 23,422!

"And that proves that divination beats calculation!"

rare, I've listed a set of numbers to make your own out of fourpieces of wood or clay. (SEE FIG 4) The illustration is anexploded view, as if a single bar was cut and opened flat.

The only other mentalist I've ever heard of using themathematical basis of these bars for more than just an arith­metic stunt is David Burglas. What he did with the idea ismentalism history!

By performing this first as an addition game, later as a demon­stration of lightening addition and finally as a demonstration ofseeing into the future makes it an item I carry for intimate per­formances.

r----~OO\t--------,

H3R N-UMS3R

3FF3CT: Two women both write down a phonenumber of a friend and their own numbers on the back of abusiness card. While one holds the card, you tell them whichnumber is which, and finally reveal one of the women's phonenumbers!

PR3S3NTAT10N: While waiting for his connect­ing flight, Mirador made friends with Amber and Melissa, twoattractive flight attendants. Offering a little demonstration inthought reading, he put the letters A, B, C and D on the back ofhis business card. Handing the pencil and business card toAmber, the mentalist said, "Here, beside any of the four letters,write the phone number of one of your friends. Write it bigenough to reach across the card, but not so big it runs over intothe spaces above or below. Be careful not to let me see whatyou write or where you write it."

Amber wrote 555 860-3823 next to the B. Mirador tookthe card from Amber, being careful to keep the writing facingthe floor so no one could see it. He handed the card to Melissa.

"Please dothe same thing. Write the phone number of a

Here is a gold mine of showmanship for those whoknow how to dig it. It combines the drama of a living and deadtest and the stunning accuracy of a billet read under a contem­porary topic; cell phone numbers. In addition, you may end upwith a date or two out of it. (1 mean as in a date to perform - ordo I?)

23

Fourth Bar

Second Bar

-3 9 4 37 4 9 89 8 7 48 5 5 7--5 9 7 26 3 8 78 7 6 37 6 3 9-

22

FIG 4

Fi rst Bar

Third Bar

-4 7 8 45 2 3 63 6 5 29 9 7 8-

-2 9 7 69 2 5 45 4 9 27 7 6 8-

25

eerily ac~urate. Turning to the first woman, the mentalist said,"And where did you write your number? Don't answer mealoud, just think it. Ahh, I see. Your number is next to the A."Amber screamed. He was, in fact, correct again. Finally, Mi­rador took Melissa bythe hand. He looked deeply into her eyesand said, "We all know where your number is, on that cardyou've been holding. However, I want you to concentrate onthe last four digits. I see a zero, a six. A five and a three!"

The tall mind reader had accurately revealed the lastfour digits of Melissa's phone number, all while she held thecard throughout. He took the card from the flight attendant andverified he was correct. He gave both women a new, cleanbusiness card.

The call for boarding came and Mirador had to leave,but not before asking Melissa if he could call the willingparticipants the next time he was in their town.

M3THOD: I do a lot of flying. I meet a lot of people.This effect came about out of necessity. There's often notenough time to do a cool demonstration and get a phonenumber. When your flight is called, sometimes you have to run.With this trick, I have the card with the numbers oftwo women,ifit's appropriate to need them.

However, women are not the only people you may wantphone numbers from. A surprising number of contacts, who

>, could be potential show buyers, don't have a business card withthem. This is a great way to sample your talents and get contactnumbers.

The methodology is based on an old mediumistic livingdead test done with slates. Instead of soft chalk, the

?"'/'TIlUIIlbers are written in soft lead pencil; a grade that smudges

24

friend in an open space next to any ofthe three letters." Melissawrote next to the D, 555 659-5528. When she was finished, hehanded the card and pencil back to Amber, being cautiousabout keeping the writing hidden.

"Amber, I want you to write your phone number in oneof the two remaining spaces. But keep. it secret from me."Amber put her number next to the A. _­Her phone number was 555 259­5429. Amber handed the cardand pencil toMelissa with therequest for hernumber. Shewrote 555 982­0653 in the last re­maining space, next to the C.

"Even if I could see what'swritten on the card, I couldn't tellwhose phone number was whose.Amber, focus your mind on yourfriend's phone number." Miradorlooked at the numbers on the card.He concentrated and gave the card back to the flight attendant.

"Your friend's number is at position B. Is that correct?"Amber giggled and affirmed he was right.

Looking into Melissa's eyes, he said, "Melissa, think ofyour friend. Not her phone number; her face. Imagine her hair,her eyes, and her mouth. Concentrate on her personality. I see adark haired woman. She's cut it short and she's just a little overweight, but she's OK with that. And you wrote her number nextto the D, correct?"

Melissa was stunned. The description of her friend was

26

whose ... " This statement indicates that you won't look at thecard; however, immediately after saying it, you look at the card!

You do handle the card, but only for a moment, then itgoes back to the last person who wrote on it. You reveal thefirst fact after looking at the card, but every other revelationcomes while the card is held by the participant. They oftenforget you ever looked at the card.

When take your look, remember the order of the firstthree numbers (in the example, B, D, A) and the last four digitsofthe fourth written number (in the example, 06-53)

.To make remembering three letters and four numeralseasy, make up a list of simple phrases using the three letters.(SEE FIG 6) The phrases can be anything at all. In thisexample, the phrase is Beautiful DAme. You don't have tomemorize the phrases, they're just to help you. Read them afew times and they'll come to mind when you need them. Ifyouforget a phrase, make one up on the spot. "Beautiful DAme"could become "Buy Daddy Ammunition" if need be. It's just asecret, mental crutch.

After you see the numbers were written in the orderB-D-A, mentally repeat "BEAUTIFUL DAME 06-53" severaltimes. That's all there is to it. Now you give the card back andreveal the information.

The first name written was the first person's friend. It'sat position B (Beautiful). The second friend's number is atposition D (Dame). The first person's phone number is atposition A (dAme). And the second person's number ends with06-53. Having to recall, Beautiful Dame 06-53 is pretty simplefor the amount of impact you get from this effect.

The second person's friend is described using anothermedium ploy. Just describe attributes that are opposite to thewoman. She doesn't get a chance to say you're wrong because

27

3rd5mud9e~

2nd5mud9e~

1st5mud9e~

FIG 5

lstGi rl-.. A-s'r'!"~4;.'l. 1st Fri end-" B- :(ss1t~" -11':1-3

2nd Gi rl~ c-(MV'8>..-a~5:

2nd Friend-" D4r~~-.

When Melissawrites her friend's numberon the card, you secretlysmudge itagain. This timein a differentspot, slightly to­ward the center.Now, the firstnumber has twosmudges on it.The third num-ber gets a smudge along the left side of the face-down card. Atthis point, the first number has three smudges, the secondnumber has two smudges and the third number has onesmudge. The secret marks are in three different areas and areunnoticed by the participants. (SEE FIG 5)

The last number gets no smudge, so Melissa can hand itto Amber herself. YOU DON'T TOUCH IT. This fact remainsin their minds because it's the last exchange of the card andpencil. Re-read the script and you'll find statements that helpcontrol their memories.. Like, "Even if I could see what'swritten on the card, I couldn't tell whose phone number was

As you take the card from one participant to hand it to. the other, you pinch it with your middle finger and thumb and

slide your fingertip down, over the numbers. This smudges thenumber. If there's only one phone number on the card, (as it iswhen Amber's friend's number is on it) a small area issmudged as you hand the card to Melissa. You must drag yourfinger the full height of the card, because you don't knowwhere the number is. With the card face-down, smudge alongthe right side. This willmake the mark on the leftside of the number.

you link the statements to the fact ofwhere the number is on thecard. She must say "yes". You also say it in a manner that's abit like pumping. When the woman silently indicates you're onthe right track, you continue. If she shows you're off the mark,you recant a bit. It's all done quickly and with confidence.

Take a moment to imagine what the audience remem­bers. They both wrote down a phone number of a friend andtheir own numbers. While she holds the card, you tell themwhich number is which, describe the friend and reveal the girl'sphone number!

If it seems like this is too much brain work, that's good. Itmeans this pet routine will remain hidden and only a few willattempt it. The amusing fact is that once you try this, it's easierthan any double lift.

ABC Always Be Clean CAB Cindy Almost Barfed

ABD ABig Dog CAD Crush A Doorknob

ACD A Cold Drink CBA Can't Buy Alcohol

.;~ ACB A Cute Boy CBD Could Be Destroyed

ADB A Dumb Brat CDA Can Do Anything

ADC A Dark Cloud CDB Count Dracula's Bat

BAC Begin At Camp DAB Down Around Brazil

BAD Before Any Day DAC Discuss About Communism

BCA Be Careful Amy DBA Drunk But Alert

BCD Big Cute Debutante DBC Don't Be Cruel

BDA Beautiful DAme DCA Debbie Came Along

BDC Be Dreadfully Concerned DCB Dead CraB

FIG 6

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I-I .. . r

. \ ..

L1BR3TTA M1NUT 1A. Everyone, especially women, love miniature props. Dr.Stanley Jaks made a wonderful career with close-up mentalism.He used unusual miniature props. This treasure is the type ofeffect he loved. I hope you love it as well.

3F F 3CT: A spectator puts three tiny number cardstogether in any manner he wishes. This creates a three-digitnumber that represents a random page from a miniature book.He looks at the chosen page and silently reads a word. Thementalist reveals the mentally chosen word.

PR3s3NTATION: "Tell me what I'm thinking,"The large bearded man bellowed. Evil Dan was a lovable manwho told fortunes for fun and profit. He had watched Miradoramaze people with his apparent mind reading skills.and desireda turn.

Mirador opened a leather covered box the size of amatchbox. Inside was postage stamp sized dictionary and threetiny numbered cards. He laid all the miniature items on a table.

"Let's try a little experiment. This diminutive dictionaryhas, let's see, just over six hundred pages. Dan, I want you touse these little cards to select a page and then a word on thatpage. After that, I'll try to read your mind.

The tall, handsome mentalist flipped through the tinytome to Show the total number of pages and they that weredifferent. He spread the three tiny cards on the table. Each cardhad a different number printed on it. There was a 1 on the first

29

1

FIG 4

31

The 6, the 4 and the 2 added up to 12. With a zero onthe end, the number became 120.

"You have a three digit number? Good. Put the littlecards away so I can't see them and look up that page number inthe miniature dictionary. Find the first word defined on thatpage." Dan opened the tiny dictionary to page 120 and saw theword, CONJURE.

Mirador stared into space and seemed to form someimage in his mind. "The word you have in mind has sevenletters. Three of them are vowels. I also see N J U, but I don'tknow any words that have those letters in them. Please read thedefinition silently, to yourself.

"Ah, I see the images of magicians and wizards in yourmind. You have a very strong mind, so ifyou don't want me toread it I can't. Please help me out. Concentrate on the first letterof the word. Ah, yes. It's a C. C N J U. Canju, cenju, conju.Conju, Conjure! THE WORD IS CONJURE! You did verywell. Thank you."

M3THOD: Obviously, the method is a force of thepage number, but the force is executed so slickly that theparticipant believes he had an entirely free choice.

Everything is dependant upon leading the participant tobelieve that he is forming a page number by arranging the tinycards, and then switching the procedure so that he adds thenumerals together. The switch is completely covered with thelanguage deception of repeating why each step of the procedure

.. ;..;.,.:- necessary. The words repeated several times are, "1 need adigit number, and it has to be random. "

Before we get deep into the subtle method, let meremind you that any Real Time Mentalism™ piece can be

<tlleatric;all,v dressed up with special props; but they aren't

30

card, a 2 on the center card and a 3on the card to the right.

"I need a three digit numberand it has to be random. See how thelowest number these three numeralscan make is 123. On the other sideare three more numbers, four, fiveand six. So the largest number youcan make is 654." Mirador turnedeach card over to show the numeralson the other side. On the back of thecard with a 1 was a 4. One the backof the card with the 2 was a 5. And on the opposite side of the

card with a 3 was a 6.

"Again, I need a three digit number and it has to berandom. I'll turn away so I can't see what you do. When I tellyou to 'mix the cards', I mean slide them into a differentposition, like this. When I say 'flip a card', I mean turn itcompletely over once."

Mirador turned his head away from the table so hecouldn't see the arrangement of the cards.

"I need a three digit number. Mix, that is slide, the cardsaround to any order." Dan slid the numbers around to form 465.

"And it has to be random, so flip anyone of the cardsover to get a new number. Flip one card." Dan flipped the 5over so it became a 2.

"I need a three digit number, so arrange them into anyorder." Dan rearranged the pieces of card to make 642.

"And it has to be random, so add all the digits together.OK? Fine. And it must be a three digit number, so add a zero tothe end of the number."

necessary to it. The same holds true here. Although a miniaturedictionary and tiny number cards look great for walk-around,Dr. Jaks-style mentalism, you don't need anything more than aborrowed book and three scraps of paper or business cards.

The force works like this. Get three pieces of paper andlay them out in a row. One the left piece draw a 1. On the centerpiece draw a 2 and on the right piece draw a 3. Now flip eachpiece over to the blank side. On the left piece draw a 4. On thecenter piece draw a 5 and on the right piece draw a 6. At thispoint, the piece on the left has a 1 and a 4. The center piece hasa 2 and a 5 and the right piece has a 3 and a 6.

When you lay the papers out in performance, you do soto show the smallest possible number that can be made with thepapers. Lay the papers out with the lowest numerals shows, i.e.,1, 2 and 3. Then flip each paper over to show the highestpossible number that can be made with the papers, i.e., 654.The statement you make is correct; the lowest number that canbe made with a 1, a 2 and a 3 is 123. But this procedure leadsthe participant to understand that he will make a page numberby arranging the three papers. This is a misassumption.

Begin with the smallest numbers showing, flip them sothe largest numbers are face-up, and you're set. If you flip anyof the three numbers, the new combination will always total 12.

Make certain the participant understands not toflip the little cards when mixing them.

With the 4, 5 and 6 showing, tell theparticipant, "1 need a three digit number ... "That's the reason he slides the cards into anyorder. Again, you're creating the understand­ing that he's making a three-digit number withthe cards.

Next, explain, "And it has to be ran­dam ... " and instruct him to flip one card over,

32

thus creating a number he wasn't expecting; or at least that'show he sees it.

Repeat, "1need a three digit number... " and allow himto arrange the new numbers.

Finally deliver the velvet blow, "And it has to berandom, so add all the digits together... " The last instructionmakes sense because you've previously given your reasoningthree times. However, the procedure changes everything.Adding the numbers together is incidental in his mind and laterforgotten. He will mostly recall he mix three littie cards orpapers around to make any page number he wanted.

The participant gets a total of twelve. By adding a zero,the total becomes 120. This odd command goes undetectedbecause of your reasoning, "And it must be a three digitnumber ... ".

The system of forcing the number twelve with threenumbered papers seems to be an old one. Its creator remains amystery to me. Banachek first showed me the ploy for use onradio. George Anderson created a three-digit page number byforcing a seven spot playing card and multiplying the seven byten. That's as close to credits as I can come.

However, those two phrases, repeated in unison, are thereal method to this effect. They are the verbal means by whichthe mentalist controls what the participant believes is happen­ing and elevates this little trick to one I'm proud to performanywhere.

I developed this piece because I purchased a miniaturedictionary when I performed at the Smithsonian Institution. It'sperfect for Jaks type mentalism, but is so small that the knowmethods don't apply. With some research, some effort andsome imagination Libretta Minutia wCl:s born.

33

35

chosen number, the spirits.. will reveal it to us. Do you

have a number in mindnow? Thank you.

"Keep your chosennumber in your mind. Thislittle pointer is called aplanchette. The spirits willmove the planchette and

stop on different numbers. Each time it stops, I want you tosilently count. You'll start counting with the number you havein mind; no matter what number is under the planchette. Eachtime the planchette stops, count one number higher. If you'rethinking of number three, start counting with 'three' and thenmentally count 'four' wherever the planchette stops. The nexttime the planchette stops count 'five'. Don't say anything, justcount mentally. When you mentally count 'thirteen', say'STOP'. Do you understand? Thank you..

Mirador addressed the group, "The reason Raven wantsyou to begin with your chosen number is to keep her fromknowing when you'll reach thirteen. If she knew when youwould say 'stop', she might use her own intuition as where tostop the planchette. By beginning on a number unknown toRaven, she can only be guided by the spirits."

Raven took a deep breath. She gently closed her eyes andlet her mind go. Her small index fingers touched either side ofthe planchette. It seemed to move by its own impetus. When itstopped, Raven told Chris to begin counting with her secretnumber. The planchette moved up, down, side-to-side andstopped on another number. Raven said to count another num­ber higher. The planchette moved to a different number andChris mentally counted one more. This was repeated several

times until Chris suddenly said, "STOP!"

34

This trick was almost discarded in a simpler form,then Idiscovered that many professional mentalists. and spiritualisthave used it to great success. The great Maurice Fogel thoughtso much of its direct method that his first pamphlet wasdevoted to a presentation of this trick. If it was good enough forhim, it's good enough for me.

I often use this in conjunction with Libretta Minutiaexplained in this book.

3F F 3CT :. A spectator merely thinks of a numberfrom 1 to 10. The mentalist touches a planchette on a tiny Ouijaboard. The spirits move it until finally stopping on the specta­tor's mentally chosen number.

PR3S3NTAT10N: Children aren't usually foundat cocktail parties, but Raven was a ten-year-old whose com­pany was welcome in most situations. Mirador had an intimateparty of three women and a man for cocktails and they wereready for a little entertainment. Raven was ready to amaze themwith her psychic abilities.

She showed a miniature Ouija board, one that might beused by Barbie'P'. She carefully placed the board on a coffeetable and a tiny planchette on the board. Raven addressed apretty, Chinese girl, named Chris.

"Please think of one of the numbers on the board. It canbe 1 to 9, but please don't think of 0, because if you think ofnothing, nothing is the result. When you concentrate on your

/

-I..

-au 1 JAN

Raven looked down at the number the planchette wason. "The spirits say your number is seven," Raven said.

Chris fell back from the table. "Remarkable!" she cried."How does she do that?"

After everyone in the room had Raven disclose a chosennumber, Raven's personal, full-sized Ouija board was broughtout and the spirits continued to communicate throughout theevemng.

M3THOD: The trick works almost automatically.You stop anywhere for the first four stops, after that, you stopon 9, 8, 7 and on down. When the participant mentally reachesthirteen, the planchette automatically falls on the chosen num­ber.

Disguise the fact that you're moving from 9 down bymoving the planchette all over the board before each stop.Make certain the participant knows you've stopped. Pause therefor a couple of beats.

The history of this gem is fascinating. Its greatest gloryis in the fact that the world famous spirit medium, CharlesFoster, used it frequently. Charles Foster, for those who don'tknow, was the mentor of billet great, Berthold Reese. AndReese was Ted Annemann's billet guru. Charles Foster made afortune in the spook game and the method of "tapping tothirteen" was a lethal weapon. (Although the final number hasmost often been twenty, I find modem audiences feel this is toomuch tapping. I reduced twenty to thirteen.)

Foster used it when a bereaving family wanted to knowif the spirits would prove their identity by telling Foster aparticular detail that he couldn't possibly know. For example, afamily had been communicating, through slates, with theirdeceased child. The mother needed more proof. and asked

36

Foster to have their child revealhis age when he was drowned.Foster took a piece of paper andwrote the numerals 1 through 14on it. (The ages the boy couldhave been.) He told the motherto concentrate on the boy's age.He performed his "tapping" ef­fect and the family was con­vinced.

My introduction to this trick was with the numerals ona watch. It's explained with little detail in 101 Trick You CanDo. (SEE FIG 5)Having performed this trick since I was aboutten years old, I thought it impossible to fool a thinking audienceof adults with it. I taught it to my then, nine year old daughter.She decided to use a miniature Ouija board instead of a watch.At a dinner party, she performed her little trick. It flooredeveryone! Each guest had to have her present it for them. Sheadded the effect of steering the planchette by pulling down withher right finger and pushing up with her left. Sliding theplanchette at the same time, makes it appears as if it's movingunder its own power.

She also added the reason the participant starts countingwith the selected number as explained above. This little tipmoves the demonstration out of the mere magical amusementarena and propels it into the real spirit activity field.

Peyton Raven's professional approach was no mereaccident. She has been trained in theatrical performance,studied Michael Chekhof and Stanislavsky and performed sincethe age of five. She knows a bit about theater.

The miniature Ouija board is a key chain available atnovelty stores. It has a tiny drawer that holds the planchette.You can return the presentation to Real Time Mentalism™ by

37

3839

The Richey Technique Revealed $20I

M h' 'Jep 1StO s ourney $20

Ball & Tube $20

Band of the Hand $25

The Sign of Four $25

The Hermit of Dreams $20

The Lolita System $35

Fern Fata1. $35

The Star Tradeshow Act $20

At the Mountains of Madness $30

The New Cinderella Act $40

The Dance of Shiva $45

Burn, Witch Bum $15

The $1,000 Secret Seance $40

The Dark Cloak $35

It's a Lu Lu $20

E'Voque $25

Cellular Mitosis $25

Nostrum.Necromancy $35

Number 6 $35

Mestha, Book ofNumbers VoU $35

Qebhasennnuf, Book ofNumbers Vo1.2 $35

Tuamautef, Book ofNumbers Vo1.3 $45

Other Books by Docc Hilford

1.

2.

3.4~.

5.6.7.

8.9.

10.

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Someone Is told 10 think of • nudler on •Wll<:h 0111. M..>I"vboglanlng *"" OM numb.,lbow the """ "- thoUgIIl at. he fa I. ItIttcac.mlnQl .. thl perfarmor l.IllII ttli dIal ane liPfar uch number.".. ...n _ he lftlIIlIllIy caunllto :ZO. hi 10 10 ..., alap. At thla paint. the1tlIIlJic'" pent. I, an !he IlIIIftIHIr prwvlaullythought all SECREt: Mok. _ 1.1'" lit random.but on ttll lIlghltlllP havayour pencft lll\ numbar12. Now Italt tappnll c:ounl. clocl<wIoa aroundIhi diol. No manarwltal nuriJaf w. uklll. whanIhi aptICl1ItllfCauntl to:ZO. yaa. pericllwi! ... onlhe .llIht numbar.

FIG 5

3XTRA Tlp for those who opt to perform this witha full sized Ouija board: After the demonstration of revealing amentally chosen number, have the spirits answer a question. Itisn't necessary for you to touch the planchette to control it.Through mere verbal suggestions you can completely directwhere the planchette goes. Direct the participants with sugges­tions such as, "I think the spirits are confused by your variousquestions. Perhaps you should try a 'yes' or 'no' question." Byadding, "Look, it's moving toward the 'yes' immediately!Wow, it's going right to the'yes'." The participantsmove the planchette with ANY NUMBER CHOSENI

their own subconsciousideo-motor responses.

This sounds bold, but workssmoothly in actual practice.Try it.

Perform this for intelligent audiences and I'm certainyou'll be pleased with the response.

doing as Foster did. Just use a piece of paper and a pencil.Alternatively, draw numbers on nine separate papers and use anupturned glass as a planchette. This is the origin of the Ouijaboard.

"</;,

Other Tricks by Docc Hilford

1. The Wizard's Manual $65

2. The Cassandra Deck $25

3. Cards of Cairo $20

4. Million Dollar Deck $10

5. Rasputin's Secret $20

6. Raven's Slates $175

7. Assassin Card Sword $350

All books and tricks can be purchased from yourlocal magic dealer or directly from Docc Hilford.

For a catalogue send your name, address and $3 to:

P.O. Box 546022 Bal Harbour, FL 33154

or visit us on the web at:

DoccHilford.com

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