Order From Chaos
Copyright
In the early seventies I performed for “The Real Magic Show” in Boston Ma. Melbourne Christopher, Tony Spina & Company and other great performers were there. There were two shows and it was just a ticket sale deal. Everyone said the promoters would never make their money back. Worse was a serious snow storm on that day.
Yet each show was over seventy five percent full. Melbourne Christopher donated his time even though a price for all of us was paid. Mr. Christopher never cashed his check. This was a night of chaos fueled by strong rumors and appearance of the possibility of those rumors being true. This translated into a very distracting influence that I did not need at show time.
I left my home the night before to go to Boston, set up and get some sleep. What should have been a one hour trip turned into an eight hour trip. The snow was so blinding we could not see anything. We were lucky to find our way off the highway to a good dinner. So we never slept that night and had two shows to do. I was totally off my game by the time we set the act.
In the dinner I thought about a rumor that was going around. It was that the Boston police were out to place me in a special restraint that I could not get out of.
It really did not sound right because I had no problem with any Boston police officers. They were always professional when I dealt with them. Most police I ever knew were glad that I was working. Even so my mind churned the idea over and over. Being very tired did not help.
I was so tired at the second show I started doing the Doors of Death without the introduction that I always do. Melbourne Christopher caught it right away and just started narrating and did a splendid job. He saved me that night.
When show time came we all noticed that there were a lot of police officers on duty. They lined the walls on either side of the stage. I never saw so many at a show but that is a whole other story. Instantly my warning signals went off. What if they did come to stop me? What did they have? I would be facing this challenge cold with no advance knowledge of what it is.
The frightening part for any performer is if the police decided to trap a performer they can get any iron they want or need. Also there are police officers who collect locks and have knowledge. There is a saying, “The mind can make a heaven of hell and a hell of heaven.”
My imagination was running wild and I had to think fast how to handle this situation. My first plan was simple. The test would be at the end of the show so the audience would get the full show they paid for but could stay or leave for the challenge.
I could not back out of the show and the audience was there and waiting. If I did get trapped I planned to say, “This is the most difficult test I have ever had and I would like a rematch.” Get the challengers to agree but leave it that the date would be announced. Once I mastered the item I would take on the challenge again and make order from all the chaos.
When the curtain opened and I saw all those police I was nervous but I knew I had to play the role of a cool confident artist. It was a true “Come what will moment.” But once I started the game was on and any concerns were gone. The game needed to play to it’s final conclusion regardless of the outcome. During the act I waited for the moment the trap would be sprung and the police would make their move.
Half way through the show I called the police. If they had a difficult restraint I would put that off to the end but use their regulation ones for a test as I always try to do.
My mind was thinking. “Oh no here we go. I hope that they do not have some new security that I have never even seen or some freak iron that most collectors have never seen.” My heart was pounding. I was thinking am I crazy inviting the police up? But if they really wanted me they would come up anyway.
At that moment it would have taken a chaologist to balance my mind. Someone bringing an odd item is one thing. A professional or group of professionals out to trap you is altogether the worst challenge position any artist could be in.
When I called on the police to come up, one officer spoke and I missed what he said. So I replied, “What did you say?”
The officer said, “The chief told us not to cuff you.”
After some real stress it turned out the police were not there for me. They were blocked from catching me for theatrical reasons or non police work.
I have never forgotten that night and I learned from it. I never let the balance get out of control again and I do not respond to things that are fearful with confusion of any kind. Ever artist has their moments. Many have that moment all the time. Fear of the unknown. Is someone here with a problem restraint or ideas? The mind has to process all that and more.
An interesting final note is that the producer started the rumor that John Lennon and Yoko were coming to the show and it was all over Boston at the time. I have know way of knowing who started the “Police Challenge” story but I have a theory.
I have posted photos.
Top photo is the inside of a jail lock. Next photo down are my Semi King Breakers. Notice the left the pop rivet covering most of the key hole. The right shows the back and the pop rivet stem crimped and sticking out.
The third photo is my hand blown up in a crush injury in 1999. For some to say this never happened is simply not true. That was the end for performing I have a box full of medical records to prove it if I need to.
