Agnes by Tony Cochran for August 14, 2022

well Agnes, embrace your luck. That brick didn’t end up upon your head!

You could always demonstrate how to put bricks to sleep with hypnosis.

It would be nice if you could do it. Even better if you could reproduce the method mechanically so you could levitate cars and trains and ships.

I’ve noticed that Trout has become a little less of an emotional bully.

Could it be that Tony is actually paying attention to readers’ messages??

I got a long desired magician kit for my 8th or 9th birthday…

i know it was meant for children, but it was so ridiculous, it should have been called “Magic for the Pathetically Gullible.”

…

One of the so-called tricks used a flat, inflatable circle of thin reddish rubber, maybe 4" wide…. not spherical, like a balloon, but made from two, flat round pieces, sealed around the edge, with a piece of thin, clear tubing coming out.

You were supposed to “hide” it under someone’s plate, then tell him or her you could levitate their dinner.

Your amazing patter, memorised from the instructions, was supposed to distract your victim enough to not notice that little air hose sticking out from under the plate, running from the device to a tiny rubber bulb in your hand.

…

Say “Abracadabra”, squeeze the bulb…. the red rubber pillow inflates, and magically lifts the dinner plate high….

in the illustration, anyway.

In reality, the two cubic inches of air in the bulb is enough to tilt the plate slightly, making a few peas roll into the mashed potatoes.

Oooh.

Looks like Agnes has found a brick so big, she herself couldn’t lift it

Hmmmm, can’t everyone do that?

I’m ready. Please continue….

Trout would rather see a magic trick because she knows that if she waits for Agnes to demonstrate those powers, she’ll be waiting for a very long time.

once again, agnes bricks…

“There you go. Fast asleep.”