TIE AllIE ESTATI A'f'
InUit ItIOGE. W.VA.
Tel. 3()4.947·7730 P.O. Box 155 G....t cacapon, WV 25422
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THE AIU ESTATI A'r JUV..ER JUDGE, W.VA.
Tel. 304-947·7730 P.O. Box 155 Great Cacapon, WV 25422
Cop y rig h t (1 9 9 7 ) by Al Mann Exclusives - the foolishness of yesteday has become the wisdom of tomorrow." Sir William Osler
(1919)
So what is Advanced Billet technique? A lady wrote secretly a word on a slip of paper and rolled it up into a ball and clenched it in her closed fist. Bert Reese, standing several feet away told the lady what was written on the paper she held. -- A man wrote his thought on a slip of paper and stuffed it into his shoe. Again Bert Reese told the man what the written tought was. Was Reese a mind reader? NO!. Both him and Charles Foster, his mentor, used a simple technique. The one-ahead-method. But it was the impressive presentation that created the awesome miracle-like effect that dazzled the intelligent minds of the world. Bert Reese, like Foster, was resorting to some advanced billet technique that apparently only they could perform. It was the challenge posted before the audience that shattered all reasoning. The impossible made possible. The pccsibility that perhaps Bert Reeses had a power not known or U~ erstood . by anyone but him. "They believe in me." said Bert R:c s e to Houdini. "And I heal them just by talking to them." Acidus Two presents a similar imposible and unbelievable test. The mind of the audience can not believe what they see. Therefore their reasoning is shattered. Many are convinced that there is in this world hidden mysteries. What the Mentalist does is proof that mortals do not know every thing.
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So what does the audience see? In the presentation of Acidus II, your audience see a person wr i te a word on a piece of card secretly and then fold the card twice into quarters and the folded card is further secured by a trombone paper clip, as shown in Fig. 1. The Mentalist tips of his fingers of the audience.
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holds the folded card at the where it remains in full sight Fig.
1
No one in your audience can believe that the Mentalist actually has access to the secretly written word. No one can believe that under the conditions imposed. The Mentalist can a~tual1y apparently remove the paper clip, open out the card, read the message and refold the card and replace the paper clip, while standing motionless before his audience. Actually that is what happens. The Mentlist does all with one hand. The fingers of the hand that holds the folded card do not move once the billet in in his hand!
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To perform ACIDUS
2, you will need
the following:
CARDSTOCK FOR THE BILLETS. I use 80-1b. paperboard (vellum Bristol). I use flesh-color stock. The stock is cut into billet size cards about 2-1/4 inch by 3-1/8th inch. This size fits my palm well. The reader may make the cards bigger or smaller. The paperboard is about the same texture as an index card, BUT a white index card is not recommended for the novice. If you accidently expose 1/8 inch of the:white index card, it can be seen clear across the room. Once you have mastered the technique you may use any cards.
2
Plus two trombone paper clips 1-1/4 inch long. Pencils, preferably with a jet black lead or a good black lead or grease lead. Actually as an impromptu test Acidus can be done with any pencil or pen. Optional:
A slate and chalk to write the thought on.
THE PREPARATION BEFORE THE SHOW: The dummy and the billet proper must be prepared before the how. ALTHOUGH THE DUMMY AND THE BILLET LOOK ALIKE, EASH IS 'REPARED AND PREFOLDED SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY. NOTE: All .nstructions given here must be followed exactly otherwise the :est will fail.
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( Fig.
2
Fig. 2A
.
.
Fig.
.
2B
THE DUMMY THE DUMMY: Fold the dummy once about 1/4 inch short as shown in Fig. 2. Then fold it a second time, into quarters with the 1/4 inch step inside the fold as in Fig.2A. The reason for this fold, is th~t the Dummy will now be, after folding it, a hair taller than the billet. The dummy will then stick up higher above your fingers. You want your audience to see the folded billet (Dummy) at all times, so the taller the dummy the better. Next place a trombone paper clip around the dummy. The dummy is now ready. Fig. 2B shows how the dummy looks from both sides. That is the way your audience visualizes the billet. Actualy your audience will see the Dummy billet from only one side but common sense dictates that the paper clip shows from both sides. YET if someone accidentally sees the dummy from behind they will see the other half of the paper clip! THE BILLET
Fig. 3A 3
Fig •. 3B
ACIDUS
2
PRE-SHOW PREPARATION
cont.
THE BILLET PROPER: The billet to be used for the test is folded once about 1/8 in~h short as seen in Fig. 3. Next it is folded into quarters, WITH THE 1/8 INCH STEP ON THE OUTSIDE, as seen in Fig. 3A. The reason for the 1/8 inch step is to avoid the corner of the billet from digging into the flesh of the hand and interrupting the smooth handling of the billet. The correct position for both the billet and the Dummy for excecu t ing Ac idu s 2, in shown in Fig. 3B. The Dummy and the billet must always be taken in that position, with the folded center on the upper left and the loose 4 corners of the card on the lower right.
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Fig.
4
Fig.
4A
Fig.
4B
Take the billet in your hands in the position shown in Fig. 3b and open out half of it upwards and PUSH THE FOLDED TOP HALF OF THE FOLDED BILLET WITH YOUT THUMB IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ARROW. this opens up , the billet as shown in Fig. 4. Push hard on the billet to break th creases so that the billet will then look like in Fig. 4A. Next open out the billet fully like shown in Fig. 4B and draw the black line. (dash lines shows the creases of the fold). The black line is where the VIP will be asked to write a name or word. CURTAIN TIME: When you walk on stage, you have in your right hand (or left) the dummy in finger-palm position.See Fig. 5. PLEASE NOTE the the bi lle t i s in-.correc t wo rki ng position. The folded center of the Dummy is on your upper left and the four loose corners are to the lower right. Both the billet and the Dummy must always be handled in that popsition.
4
Fig.
5
ACIDUS
2
CURTAIN TIME
cont.
Please Note Fig. 5. Through many handlings of the Acidus billet, I have discovered that the billet can be anchored more securely in the finger-palm position by applying pressure with the tip of the third finger against the base of the fingers. Amazingly, each one of your fingers of the palming hand do their part. After some practice you will discover thet each finger acquires an Ln t e Ll.Lg e nc e (or memory>, and . each . finger does its part astexpected.· In 'Fig. 5, the first finger c ov e r s the billet from the top. The ring finger covers the bottom of the billet from exposure. Both the thumb and the little finger in Fig. 5 have been removed for clarity. The little finger usually curls up u~der the billet to keep it from falling to the floor accidentally. fingers of the palming hand must be held tightly The four together. The thumb will then be to ge ther as if these were glued do the work. With time all these things become second free to nature. In your paper clip.
right
hand
you
should
also
have
a
trombone
ALWAYS KEEP YOUR RIGHT HAND WITH THE DUMMY CLOSE TO YOUR BODY. YOUR HAND AND ARM LOOK NATURAL WHEN HELD CLOSE TO YOUR BODY. GET IN THE HABIT OF DOING ALL YOUR BILLET WORK CLOSE TO THE BODY AT ABOUT CHEST LEVEL. Avoid arm swinging gestures or raising your hand high in the air. Remain as motionless as you can. Your audience will love you for your serenity and lack of comical gyrations. In your left hand, you should have the billet proper and a pencil which you give to the VIP telling him where to write and instructing him to place the card writing side down on the table when finished. Don't allow the VIP to refold the card as he might do it wrong.
THE TEST. Give your lecture and disclaimer or whatever and then propose a test with a single word or name in the English language. Ask a person to come forward and tell him/her to write any word or name secretly of, say, 5 or 6 letters, on the card and then to turn the card writing side down. You ask the audience to watch carefully as you make some passes with your left hand over the card and then place your hand flat on the card and fold the card in half.
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Pick up the fo1ded-in-ha1f card and show the audience that the writing is in the inside of the card. Fold the card a second time into quarters and tell the audience. While talking (this is very importatant) maneuver the folded card with the fingers of the left hand until the card is in its working position, that is, the folded center on your upper left. Then turn the card in azimuth 90 degrees, as shown in Fig. 6 . and secure the card with the paper clip you have in your right hand, BUT the paper clip only pinches half of the folded card!
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Fig.
6
NOTE: Due to the special folding of the card, it is possible for you to clip only one half of the folded card. Your audience is not aware of this. They simply assume that the paper clip surrounds the whole card. And they also assume that if they look at the other side of the billet they will see the other half of the paper clip.
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A
c: Figs.
7
D
As you put on the paper clip, the billet to your view looks like in Figs. 7A and B, But to the audience the billet looks like in Figs. C and D.
6
ACIDUS 2 THE TEST
cont.
After you have the paper clip in place (make sure it is placed on correctly so that oly half of the folded billet is clipped.) Place the clipped billet at the tips of your right hand fingers. but make sure the billet goes under ·the Dummy as in Fig. 8. Tell your audience that the folded card will remain in full sight at the tips of your fingers. Challenge tha audience to tell you what is written on the card. "No one knows but the person who did the writing." You say. "I get vibrations and emotions by holding the folded card. If I touch my temple wi th the folded card I get stronger vibrations." You say. Fi~. 9 shows what the audience sees. Do not underestimate the effect that this test cadses. I have seen people completely dumbfounded after witnessing the test. Your lay audience simply can not penetrate mentally your clever chicanery.
Fig.
Fig.
8
9
When you show your audience how you place the folded card to your temple, you acuta11y do that and in a fraction of a second you excecute the 'Temple Switch." THE TEMPLE SWITCH. A most beautiful and easy move, invented by the mediums. This test was exposed in "The Revelations of a Spirit Medium" by A. Me diu m• As you hold the billet and Dummy in your right hand fingertips as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, You raise your hand to touch your temple and the billet is pushed into palm position while the right thumb pushes out the Dummy.
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Fig. 10 shows; lOA billet as seen by the audience and the Dummy in palm position •• Fig. lOB, both the billet and the dummy have been pushed flush. Fig. laC, The thumb has pushed the dummy into sight and the hand again looks like in Figs. 8 and 9.
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ACIDUS 2 THE TEST.
In Figs. lOA to lOC, the white line the Dummy.
the black line represents
the billet and
,
After you have excecuted the Temple Switch you will be holding the billets at your finger tips as shoewn in Figs. 8 and 9. The thumb has been removed for clarity in Fig. 8. Believe me, the move is so deceiving that your audience sees the Dummy as the true billet. Right away, as you patter, maneuver the Dummy with your right thumb and fingers into first-finger grip poisition. (The billet proper is secured in palm positon and is being held securely by pressure of the tips of the middle and ring fingsrs agaisnt the base of the fingers.) THE FIRST-FINGER GRIP: This has been borrowed from the cigarette manipulators. Our billet is wider than a cigarette so it is easier to handle. The Dummy billet as seen in Figs. 11 and 12 is gripped between the third joint, joint "C"," of the first finger and the first phalange of the same finger. And due to its extra length, it s tan ds high in the air, s o t he audience can see it at all times.
Fig.
11
CHEER UP! The arcane forces we are dealing with want you to succeed. Inert matter, supposedly has no life or movement. But the card stock from which our billets are made has a memory! If you fold the card in half and place it on the table, the card opens out trying to get back to the flat condition of which it has a memory. Please NOTE Fig. 11. It shows the billet in palm position opened out a bit, all by it own force, on the half that is not pinched by the paper clip, That makes it easy for you to stick your thumb into it. First, with your right as shown in Fig. 12. and arrow. This opens out the stick your thumb into the you to glimpse the thought.
thumb you open out the billet half way then push on corner "A" as per the folded billet more and allows you to billet and open it out enough for
8
ACIDUS
2
THE TEST NOTE: The thumb has been removed for clarity in Figs. 11 and 12. Never look at your hands while working with your thumb. All the moves are made while you patter.
Fig.
After you feel that the billet is opened out enough, DO NOT LOOK at your hand with the billet. But turn to your far left and ask one person on your left of the audience to please guess what is written on the folded card. As you say that, you point to the Dummy and at the same time you glimpse the thought. You look at the· open billet only for a split second while you point to the dummy. The person of course does not know w~at the thought ~ so you say, "Don't feel bad, I do not know myself." During tftis patter you have aligned the two billets as shown in Fig. 8 and 9. Ask the writer to concentrate on hi s though r , You place the billet to your temple and excecute the Temple Switch again. Realigned the two billets again. Your hand will now look like in Figs. 8, 9 and lOA and the true billet is again in sight. To glimpse the written word, hold your hand with the open billet as shown in Fig. 13, at about chest level. Say about 6 to 12 inches from your eyes. Hold your hand in the direction of the person on your far left of the audience AND TILT THE HAND TOWARDS YOU. When you point to the folded dummy, you should be looking right into the hole made by your hand and the written thought should be plainly seen.
Fig.
13
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I call your attention to the fact that the folded card is still folded and it is still held securely with the paper clip. I have no further use for this card so I will return it to the writer." Remove the paper clip and return the card still folded to the writer. "Please notice that the card is still folded and no one can see the written thought." You are now clean and in poseession of the thought! Reveal the thought dramatically. Dear Reader. If you like to work with billets, Do not give up on this Acidus 2. A little practice every day for a week or two will make you a billet master. I performed this test without a flaw allover Europe in 1984 while on tour. It has taken a lot of
1 time and effort to :ut
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(];ft1~(p~ 97
eycclusives P.O. Box 155
Great Cacapon. WV 25422
Phone 304 947-7730
'1'be Parts of the Rands. The carpus is the bundle of fout bones to which are .jointed the four fingers. The outside of the carpus is known as the back of the hand and the inside as the palm of the hand. The metacarpus is the wrist. The thumb, popularly considered as having two joints only, has three joints since it is articulated directly with the carpus as is plainly shown in the illustration. The thenar is the raised fleshy portion of the carpus at the base of the thumb. The hypothenar is the similar raised portion below the base of the little finger. The fingers, counting from the thumb side, are the first, second, third and fourth, popularly known as the index or forefinger, the middle' finger. the ring finger and the little finger. The phalange~ are the theee bones in each finger and they are called the first, second and third, starting from the carpus, the first being the Innermost, the third the outermost and the second being the middle phalange. The joints of the fingers are the places where the phalanges meet one another or the bones of the carpus. the first joint-.beinr. that made hy the junction of the first phalange alld the carpus. the second joint is tl-c one between the first and second phalanges and the third is that between the second and third phalanges. The ball of the thumb or a finger is the rounded mound of flesh at the top of the t,llird ohnlange opposite the nail.
NOTE OF CAUTION: Please refer back to page 2 and Fig. 1. This shows the Dummy billet secured with a paper clip. The paper clip must be placed always on the same end of the billet. That is the end where the folded center is. IF you place the paper clip on the other end, it will interfere with the smooth working of the Temple Switch.
