Pick a card, any card.
It is perhaps the most over used phrase in magic. But when it comes from the mouth of your granddaughter it is an invitation to...
Well, let's be real. The forthcoming magic trick could be either a cause for delighted celebration or a crash refresher in reassuring a burgeoning talent that perfect comes with practice.
In this case I was happily surprised when the card I had picked, returned to the middle of the deck, and watched shuffled was pealed off the very top with a cautious...is this your card?
My wide-eyed nod sent my eight-year-old granddaughter into jumping-jack joy.
I did it, I did it, I did it was soon replaced by pick a card, any card.
And once again there was jubilant success.
Was there some sleight of hand - or plain old underhandedness?
Maybe yes, maybe no. I did not look too closely. After all, this was all about magic in it's purest form - the magic of childhood.
