Two-Headed Girl: Story No. 9

Okay, okay. Here's the thing: She dared me to do it! She dared me.

Well, that's interesting. Are you going to go through with it?

Okay. So, yes? Maybe. I don't know. Maybe?

Maybe?

Well, It's just... I'm not really sure whether it's something I should be doing right now.

Hmm.... I don't want to overstep my bounds here, and you can tell me if I'm off-base, but that sounds like a bit of a cop out to me.

What? A cop out? Come on! It's completely reasonable to worry about what consequences your actions could have, especially on a dare.

Listen, I'm as cautious as the next person--god forbid that person does Xtreme Sports or something--but, I really don't see why you need to feel like you "should" or "should not" be doing something you obviously really want to do. (Don't look at me like that! You are DYING to do this. You've been waiting for the motivation for years.) It just sounds a little bit like you're worried about the outcome because you don't want to be personally held responsible for whatever happens.

Wow. You think I've been personally shirking responsibility, huh?

No, that's not what I--

Yeah, yeah. Okay. I appreciate your honesty. But, while we're being honest, who really wants to be held responsible for anything anyway? With this, it's more that I just don't feel like I'm particularly qualified. It's like I've just told a funny joke and now I've been asked to do an HBO stand-up special, and I know that I'm not able to perform at anywhere near feature-length. I'm afraid I'll end up like every Adam Sandler movie you've ever seen, repeatedly kicking people in the balls in search for a laugh as good as the first one.

I'm sure you won't have to go as far as that! And, of course, there are ten people on every bus that are more qualified and have more will to follow through with this than you. So what? They laugh when Adam Sandler kicks them in the balls. You're the one who's been challenged. She did you a huge favor and laid down the gauntlet for you. Are you going to run it or not?

Well, okay. But I'm going to need new shoes.

Really?

Yeah, the tread is completely worn on these.

And?

And...yes! I'll do it. Yes. Definitely. I'll do it tomorrow.

Tomorrow?

No. Scratch that. I'll do it tonight! Yeah! I'm ready.

Really? You're up for getting this show on the road tonight? How about right now?

Yes! Now. All systems are go!

Alright, then. I'm in.

Yeah?

Yeah.

Yeah! Wonderful! Hey! This is really great news. I'm psyched! With the two of us doing it, how can we go wrong?

I can't imagine.

We'll kill.

You mean: "Make a killing?"

Quite possibly, my friend. Quite possibly. But, in the meantime, there are at least two of us who can take the blame, and another can be held as an accomplice. We should decide right now who should take the fall, if it comes to that, and who should get away Scott free.

How I would take off the peel of an apple all in one go

I've been practicing this magic trick for a while now. It's more slight of hand than magic, but, if you get the slight just right, it's more magic than anything else.

The magician places the apple in a boiled egg holder that has been fitted with a small length of wire under the base of the stand. One end of the wire should be attached to the base, and the rest of the wire should be coiled lightly underneath. This allows the magician to show the boiled egg holder to the audience without revealing the trick.

Once the magician shows that she has no wires up her sleeves, she uses her pinky finger to secretly unravel the wire and release it onto the table behind the holder as she sets it down. Then, she uses one hand to steady the stand while she uses the other hand to place a perfectly normal apple on top. Keeping her steady hand in place, she slides her other hand along the table, quickly picking up the free end of the wire between the index and middle fingers. If she keeps her attention focussed on the apple, she can make this motion mysterious enough to lull the audience into not noticing the wire. The motion of picking up the wire should also be smooth, quick and seem to be nothing more than a prelude to moving her hand up to hover just above the apple stem. This motion will straighten the wire and the magician must take care to bring it into firm contact with the backside of the apple.

The dramatic conclusion:

Uttering the magic words and creating the correct tension in the wire, the magician grabs the stem, pushs down, twists, pulls up with a flourish, releases the wire and triumphantly raises a perfectly peeled apple that can be presented to a lucky audience member by the stem.

The slight is more in the wrist than in the hand and more in the elbow than in the wrist.