Ring NO. 46, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Seymour Davis Ring
Meets 7:00 pm, 1st Monday of the month at the New Beginning Fellowship Church, 15601 S. Pennsylvania in OKC
LEE WOODSIDE, Secretary. Email: WoodsideLee@hotmail.com.
Our theme for October was escapes and bizarre magick. Jim Green showed us a number of surreptitious means of carrying handcuff keys: belts, bracelets, finger rings, and even the plastic cap for a ballpoint pen. He then showed a finger ring with a saw built into it. Jim said that he presents programs for law enforcement groups, showing ways that people can escape from restraints. He showed how to make a shim from a windshield wiper for escaping from handcuffs.
Cassidy Smith gave us a glowing review of his latest magic purchase, CHARLIE FRYES SLEIGHTY ABSURD book. He said that it contained miracles with cards, dice, cups and balls, knives, egg bags, knives, and even juggling and mentalism. He gave the book two thumbs up. Cassidy also gave a us a look at his other recent purchase, a wooden arm chopper. He asked for our ideas on using the arm chopper in an entertaining routine.
Kevin Brasier, who is no stranger to escapes, showed off some of his lock picks and quick-release restraints, including some handcuffs that he referred to as “bridge jumpers.” He told us some escape horror stories about things that have happened to escape artists over the years. He emphasized that an escape artist should always have a backup plan.
Lee Woodside invited Jerry Bowzer to test whether he would make the cut as an initiate into the Priori of Sion, a secret society described in Dan Brown’s THE DA VINCI CODE. Jerry would be required to intuit the color of his inner aura and also the grade at which he would enter the society. Sure enough, Jerry intuited that his aura was blue and that his grade is “Artist.” Lee gave credit to Thomas Henry for the effect, which was in Thomas’ Parade in a recent issue of the Linking Ring.
Brian Tabor showed off a tattoo which he said he got years ago when the Da Vinci Code book was a best-seller. He then asked whether it is possible to escape one’s fate and invited Derrick Beeson to test the idea. After Derrick arrived at the three of hearts and the two of spades in what looked to be a very fair procedure using ESP cards with a circle and a square, Brian opened a small wallet and showed that it contained a three of hearts with a square cut in it and a two of spades with a circle cut in it.
David Teeman invited Cally to choose how a voodoo doll would be injured. From his prediction envelope marked “CURE,” he brought out a picture of the doll with a large band aid over the wound inflicted by Cally.
Michael King showed us videos of some escapes by former member Steve Crawford that were covered by the local media. In one video, Steve is heavily shackled and thrown into the deep end of a motel swimming pool. After a nail-biting delay, he rises to the surfaces free of the restraints. In another video he escapes from an Oklahoma City Police Department jail cell. Michael then showed us a combination lock that opens when set to the year of a couple’s marriage.
Ring 46 was pleased to host a lecture by Matthew Garrett. Michael began by performing a standard linking ring routine. He and the lecture attendees discussed the strengths and weaknesses of a standard set of rings with respect to layman perceptions. Michael then performed a close-up ring routine. He discussed linking the rings to various objects, such as finger rings or purses.
Michael demonstrated the use of magic squares and the out-to-lunch principle for trade show audiences. After a commando card manipulation performance, he taught Rick Johnson, step-by-step, how to perform a ring and finger ring sequence as the rest of the group looked on.
Michael concluded by showing his “Ninja Fusion.” This is the impossible feat of having a steel ball bearing fuse onto a steel ring.
My thanks go to Justin Teeman for providing me with an overview of Matthew Garrett’s lecture.
Lee Woodside