Upping the Ante: BioVlog 109 of 384

to go. However, I realize making it big in la-la-land would be like dropping a glass of water in the ocean, I would be a minnow surrounded by whales. I figure it would be better to be a big fish in a small pond rather than a guppy in the Pacific. The two most high end restaurant – nightclubs in San Diego are Mr. A’s and the riverboat the Ruben E. Lee. I also figure I need a place that caters to the well-heeled tourist as this will have a continuous turnover. Since my character is that of a riverboat dandy I choose the riverboat. I give a call to the agency that books the entertainment for the Ruben E. Lee. I leave a dozen messages with no return calls. It was only after I leave a message inviting them to the Magic Castle in Hollywood that I hear back and two representatives come to see my show at the Castle. They love my card skills and riverboat dandy look. Their agency puts me on contract to perform from six o’clock to ten o’clock nightly aboard the riverboat, and for the first time we are finally in the money! 

So, with all my new shows, it is important to me that I’m able to control the pasteboards every time, under any and all conditions. Now don’t get excited, believing I’m being a discipline artist, as I’ve received lots of flak for taking things this far! 

Mary and I are in bed, in an intimate way, and one of my hands is free, so I say to myself, “Rick…you may as well be working on your one-handed shifts and shuffles.”

There’s a big “oops!” when Mary hears the sound of the cards bridging together; she opens her eyes; turns her head; and sees the cards cascading together in my hand. She jumps out of bed; puts on her clothes; hops into our new Alfa Romeo, drives away, and never looks back.

(While this is a little piece of fun theater, it didn’t quite happen that fast. Although I really was caught shuffling while making love, and she did hop in our new sports car and drive away.) I, no pun intended, never saw it coming. However, I have only myself to blame, as it was my obsessiveness that I figure she could no longer tolerate, it literally drove her away. 

Entertain, Learn the 4 Coin Role