The Tricks of Life

10.20.1952

 Happy Snoopy Day, y'all! Today was the day 74 years ago that Snoopy appeared in the Peanuts Comic Strip.

What better way to celebrate Snoopy day than with a Snoopy comic. Snoopy gets surprised a Jack-in-the-Box. Then he hatches a scheme that we see unfold in the following panels. Shermy is intrigued by the Jack-in-the-Box toy. He should have at least expected a scare from the Jack, but this time he gets surprised by Snoopy, the fun-loving beagle.

This reminds me of a time in my childhood when I was in middle school. To learn tricks is just so much fun. I had a middle school math teacher named Mr. Hall. He was the coolest guy I know and I loved math so the two went together like PB and J. He always made math so much fun. I think he even introduced me to the optical illusions by Escher (Side note, my dad was also very much into optical illusions). Thanks to them, I have a love for things that make me think and give excitement to the eyes.

Well, one day, Mr. Hall comes up to us middle schoolers, and he asks us if we want to see a card trick. Being a lover of cards as well, I said of course, along with the few people that were with me. He then proceeded to make four rows of 4 cards. Then he asked us to choose a card. From there he told us to tell him what row it was in. He then picked up that row and the rest of the rows and then laid out the cards in a 4 by 4 pattern. He then told us to tell him where the card was in the column. After we told him, he picked up that column and the rest of the columns of cards. Then he made 4 piles of cards face down of four cards. He told us to choose two columns. He removed 2 columns. Then he told us to choose 1 column. He removed one column. Then he told us to choose two cards. He removed 2 cards. Then 1 card, and he revealed the exact card that I had chosen from the beginning.

Mr. Hall then told us that a magician never reveals his secrets. But during the following days we prodded him so much that he relented and told us the method of finding the card that  3as chosen at the outset.

Once I had learned the trick I wanted to show everyone how much I knew and give them the excitement of the card trick.

Like Snoopy, I wanted to use my trick to trick the world.

Dear Sir, dear Life,

Seeing tricks in my life and wondering how in the world they were done is just what makes Life fun. But also, learning the revealed way of doing a trick is so cool, too. Some people would say that it spoils the fun, but I love a little bit of spoilage, haha.

Sir, please surprise me with the tricks of life.

Your inquisitive Friend,
The Marcie in Me

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Have you ever been tricked and wondered how it was done? Did you learn how the trick was done? And when you did, did you try it on someone else? What was the outcome?

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Stay Tuned...

Trouble in Paradise.