And Poof

Caution: This tale contains elements of cancer. This may be a sensitive subject for anyone currently facing or have faced issues with this in the past.

35 years. That’s how long I spent learning and performing as a magician. I started small, performing little box kit tricks. My parents got it for me, not knowing jut how much I would love it. When I would perform the tricks I learned at school, some kids thought it was cool. Others laughed. I didn’t care though. I loved the illusions and surprise it brought to people.When I got bored of my box kit, I went to the library and ended up finding books upon books that talked all about magic and illusions. I had learned a few more tricks. When I was getting into my early teen years, I had learned just enough to be able to perform at birthday parties. 

As years went on, performing magic became more and more of my passion. I knew that it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my days. It never felt like a job. And before I knew it, I was 18 and I was on the cruise circuit. While it was hard being far from home, I ended up becoming one the highest rated cruise magicians on the sea. And after years of hard work on the cruise lines, I decided it was finally time to settle. After coming back to land, I ended up meeting the love of my life at my last debarking. Her suitcase wheels popped off and I tripped on them. After she apologized profusely and we laughed about it, she helped me off the ground and I took her out to dinner. Turns out she adored that I was a magician. It wasn’t long before we got married and had a boy and 3 little girls.

While I found magic work at a performance center locally, My son ended up growing up and loving magic as a hobby. He ended up going to college to become an engineer. As for my girls, they are both finishing high school. It felt like life flew by and before I knew it they were all grown up. I had just retired maybe a few months ago. For my final show, I performed my tricks from first to last. I told stories from shows, brought my family on stage to introduce them, and at the end of the show I made a speech about the magic in performing magic.

 A few months went by and I started feeling like my body wasn’t well. It was as if every normal part of my body functioning, like breathing or walking, felt like it was starting to become a struggle. When I finally went to the doctor, it was the last time I would receive bad news. They explained that my organs were collectively beginning to fail due to a form of cancer that had spread through my body. I opted out of any treatments and wanted to enjoy my remaining time rather than spend it hospitalized. But after I went home, I went to my wife and I crumbled.

 The days following, I stayed in my den. My golden years had just started and it seemed like they were cur short so quickly. I looked over photos, found memorabilia, and even found my first magic pieces. I shed tears seeing my life over the years in all these things. At the age of 53, my body was failing me, and I was trying to figure out how to spend my last days. I at least knew I didn’t feel the need to run out and do some kind of wild and expensive last wish thing. While my family would have a last memory, it would only last so long. But I knew I had to do one major thing before I passed. Something that will remain even when I have finally gone. As I climbed behind my desk and looked at the photos on my desk, I picked up the photo of my son and myself. He was showing me his very first card trick. He had spent weeks that summer learning it and perfecting it to show me as a surprise. He ended up loving magic just as much as me, if not more. I wiped away a stray tear and set the photo back amongst the others of his sisters and my wife. And that’s when I knew what to do.

 I pulled out my laptop and got to work. For my last few weeks, my wife showed me nothing but love and support as I worked on what be my last piece of magic. She set up a small space in our room so I wouldn’t hav to walk up and down the steps. She brought me meals and drinks and stayed by my side no matter how hard the days became. When it was finally done and I had read it through, I talked to a publishing company where a friend of mine used to work. After I explained my situation, they understood and were willing to grant me the one and only copy I needed made. It came in a week before my family, and I said goodbye. It was perfect, with a blue cover and gold lettering on the front.

 On the day of my passing, my wife followed the plan we had talked about right before I had passed. She wrapped the book in black, with white ribbon and placed the letter that I wrote to go with it underneath the ribbon on my son's bed. In this book, I have written and published all of my tricks and how to perform them down to the letter. I gave every detail and even put in pictures taken at shows from behind the scenes where I performed them. A magician is always saying they can never reveal the secrets that hide behind their tricks, like a golden rule to being a magician. But as a magician who will no longer be around, I will pass them on to the next magician to hold for me.