#230: Magic

About 45 years ago, when I was still in university, a nice young man and I went on a first date.

I suggested, when asked, that we go to see Reveen.  What did I know? No-one had ever asked for my date night suggestions before, and this show by the charismatic magician was so well advertised that it must have seemed like an appropriate way to spend a Saturday night. I had no idea what the tickets would cost.  I can truly say that this little fact never crossed my mind.

And so I found myself out for the evening at Edmonton’s premier show-place, The Jubilee Auditorium, with Bruce.  I still remember the occasion, and how revealing it was on so many levels.  My new—dare I say--boyfriend was funny, smart, and not a little concerned that he might wind up on stage in front of 1,000 people, hypnotized and clucking like a chicken. 

Much, much later in our relationship I discovered that Bruce had probably paid 10 times as much for this night of magic as for a regular movie. He never did tell me the price of the tickets, nor did he seem to regret it.  Thank goodness we had a good time.

Our children know this story, of course.  I told it as a cautionary tale: Don’t bankrupt a guy on a first date, but if you do and he asks you out again this is a very good sign.

Tonight Bruce and I are being sent to see Kreskin (Reveen is not currently touring) by our daughter who could not resist the appeal of recreating the first date experience, even on a Tuesday night.

We’ve already made plans to leave for Toronto a bit early.  (I can do that now that I’m retired.) We need to make sure that our seats at the Glenn Gould Studio are unobtrusively situated. Kreskin does not do chickens, but who know?  My dear husband still has no desire to a magician’s helper.