Alakazam!

January Theme: Abundance

Thursday, January 28, 2021

       When I was a boy, I loved visiting a small store not far from our house, called The Unique Shop. I would often walk down there and browse among the many toys and games and gadgets. I fairly quickly fell in love with yo-yo’s and magic tricks and juggling, and spent many an hour sending my yo-yo dancing on its string, making magic in simple but special ways, and tossing three small, shining balls. 

       I loved to spin my yellow-and-blue yo-yo in tricks like walk-the-dog, rock-the-cradle, and around-the world, and I especially loved to show off my skills to the many very cute girls in my class at Holy Redeemer School. At recess, I would usually twirl my yo-yo in the fanciest ways I knew, especially if Ann Reilly or Cindy Coburn were watching.

       I also loved learning and performing magic tricks, some of which I purchased at The Unique Shop. I especially prized the little black top-hat that looked quite empty when I showed it to Ann or Cindy, but then, with a smooth twist of my 12-year-old hands, alakazam!, a soft white bunny would  appear in the hat. “Wow! That was good, Hammy!” Those magic words from gorgeous Ann and sweet-looking Cindy always gave me goosebumps, which was another kind of magic for a lucky kid like me. 

       I also worked hard to learn to juggle, tossing three Unique Shop balls together for what seemed like hours, and soon, the motions of my arms and the movements of the balls seemed cool and graceful, and so finally, one Friday afternoon at recess, I let three of my most colorful balls loose in the air above my arms and saw them rise and fall in flowing patterns, and Ann and Cindy saw them too – and smiled and clapped their lovely hands! 

       Sad to say, I never got to hold Ann’s hand at a Friday night movie, and Cindy kicked me when I tried to kiss her at recess. Some tricks I just wasn’t able to learn.