JoJo the Great

JoJo was a magician.

Or at least that’s what he aspired to be.

You see, JoJo wasn’t very good.

But he tried.

It made him happy.

He bought books on slight of hand.

Tapes showing the secrets of the pros.

But nothing seemed to help JoJo get any better.

Everyone told JoJo he was too big to be a magician.

They told him he had no finesse.

No grace.

They told him magicians had to be smooth as ice.

JoJo was not smooth as ice.

His shoulders were too broad.

His belly too round.

His fingers were too thick

He wasn’t double jointed.

And as much as he tried, he could never fit into that tuxedo.

But that wouldn’t stop him.

No mater how many hours he practiced in his dank basement, he still couldn’t shuffle a deck.

He couldn’t make the ball disappear under the cup.

The dove would never fly out from under his sleeve.

JoJo was about to give up.

Maybe everyone was right?

Maybe magic really wasn’t for him?

But then it hit him!

He realized what it was that made a magician truly great!

It wasn’t a winning smile.

It wasn’t a sparkle in the eye.

It wasn’t a sharp out fit, or a snappy sound and light show.

It was an assistant!

So JoJo went out into the night.

Then returned 3 hours later with an assistant.

He took her down into the basement and set her down on a chair.

She was bound and gagged but you needed to be theatrical.

Secrets of the Greats which he purchased mail order for $19.99 taught him that.

It wasn’t what the trick, but how you performed it that mattered.

JoJo went into his closet of tricks and removed his Magical Wicker Basket of Persia.

He set it in the center of the room. Directly under the yellow spot light that hung from a chain.

He straightened his bow tie, tightened his slightly stained gloves, and bowed to his audience.

He removed the lid of the basket with flair and intent.

And grinned a grin which made his assistant flush.

He picked her up, placed her inside and replaced the lid.

He spun the basket around.

Once...

Twice...

Thrice.

So that the audience knew it was no trick.

With a “SLING!” and a “SHING” he drew forth the six sabers.

He feigned cutting his finger on the tip which was customary.

He banged them together to prove their metal.

He closed his eyes, focused hard, and drove the first blade through.

It slipped in easier than expected.

Smooth as ice.

As did the second and third blade, till all were securely piercing the basket.

As custom dictated he repeated by turning the basket around.

Once...

Twice...

Thrice.

And with all the excitement of a child at Christmas, he removed the lid, for all to see.

Arms raised in triumph, he closed his eyes and smiled.

But heard no applause.

He held his breath thinking the sheer impressiveness of JoJo’s feat had stunned them silent.

But time passed.

Still no applause.

JoJo cracked an eye and looked down into the basket...

JoJo went into the backyard and placed his assistant next to all the doves and rabbits that didn’t work anymore either.

It wasn’t my fault they weren’t magical, JoJo thought.

At least I’m good at making things disappear in other ways, he thought.

Shuffling he feet back into the house, he sat down, and picked up another magic book.

Maybe they're right, he thought.

Maybe magic wasn’t really for him.

“No.”

“I’ll just have to keep auditioning, to find the right assistant. “