I met a man once, on a train from Birmingham to Glasgow. He’d been on the train since Exeter, sitting there in a suit looking every inch the business man. I sat at his table, across from him and a mother and toddler comandeered the other two seats. I was reading a book half listening to the little girl as she squealed and giggled at a Noddy comic. She had scattered her crayons over the table and laughed with delight as mummy guided her chubby fingers through a maze puzzle. They got off at Lancaster and I was left alone with Mr. Business. He was reading a paper, probably stocks and shares I thought. I got out a deck of cards. I’d been learning with some difficulty, how to do a one handed cut. My fingers and thumb got tangled and I’d often drop a few cards but I knew I just needed practice. After a few attempts a voice said: “Excuse me.” It was Business man: “Excuse me. Are you trying to do the one handed cut?”
“Err.. yeah,” I replied.
“I used to dabble in legerdemain. May I?” The business man smiled and there was a sly twinkle in his eye.
“By all means” I said, handing him the cards.
“I’m Geoff by the way.”
“Oh right, eh, Fraser.”
“Nice to meet you Fraser.”
“Likewise.”
“Now, the trick is to get the thumb well out the way, you see?” I watched his thumb cut the cards then swifly move back. “Then push with your fingers, very gently, let the cards do the work.” The bottom half of the deck rose smoothly, pushing the top half aside and under. “Then Mr. Thumb comes back with the drop.” The top half fell below the bottom cards with a flump and he held a squared deck in his hand. “You see? Split then “split” then push and catch.”
He completed the move several times then handed me the cards. “That’s it. Thumb away, gently and … voila! Well done.” Geoff was grinning. So was I. “Wow! Do you know any more tricks?”
“I’m afraid not. No. Do you?”
“Yeah a few,” I replied. “I’m just learning.”
“Splendid, “ said Geoff, and went back to reading the paper. I put the cards away and looked at the Lake District rolling past. I smiled and thought “One trick Geoff reckons I’m splendid.”
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