The turban stayed perched on his head even during the deepest part of his bow He swirled his long red cape behind him as he strode to the front of the stage Nice entrance whispered Tim Bruce nodded Impressive trick too he said It must be much more difficult to get in and out of that cabinet when it’s twirling like that Welcome announced Santoro as the applause subsided I see you’ve met Rachelle my assistant Take a bow my dear Rachelle curtsied and smiled And now lovely Rachelle exit stage left continued Santoro With a kick Rachelle pushed the open cabinet toward the left side of the stage She ran faster shoving the open box ahead of her Then she jumped in and shut the door The cabinet slowed to a stop against the left side curtain Then the door swung open Rachelle was gone After Rachelle’s disappearance Santoro pulled
everyone’s focus by performing a simple trick with cups and small green balls on a floating table A simple misdirection trick whispered Tim But he used an amazing number of combinations with just three cups Following the cup and balls trick Santoro raised his arms The lights darkened to a spooky purple Wisps of dry ice vapor wafted around him The emerald spinning in the front of his turban glowed an eerie green There is a mysterious power that links all things Santoro intoned in a calm voice It is an invisible plasma connecting both inanimate objects and creatures endowed with life If one controls this harmonic energy one may control any mind with mental magnetism This is how I mesmerize Bruce glanced over his shoulder at the audience Most everyone was staring at Santoro on stage their mouths open in amazement as though already hypnotized Bruce let out a low chuckle until he looked
over at Tim to share the joke He saw that his ward was as slack-jawed as everyone else Santoro was certainly a terrific showman Young man please join me up here on stage Santoro said and he gestured toward the audience A clean-cut teenage boy stood from his aisle seat and strode to the stage hurrying up the stairs on the side And madam asked Santoro beckoning again If you would join me as well An elegant older woman leaned on her husband’s shoulder as she slid past him into the aisle She held up the side hem of her gown as she walked up to stand beside the teenager Santoro fixed them both with an intense stare Wild music swelled from backstage and the vapor thickened as the emerald in Santoro’s turban flashed faster Good people said Santoro his voice echoing
