Introduction

I was at a magician's convention on the west coast, and had wandered into the dealer's room to spend a few minutes and dollars before the next lecture. After buying a hank of rope, nature called and I followed the sign around a corner into an alcove. Blocking the way to the men's room was a man sitting behind a folding card table. A stack of yellowing lecture notes spilled off one end of the table, and a few dusty videos with hand written labels ("The Real Work on the 21 Card Trick") sat loosely piled on the other end. Behind the table, sitting on an overturned trash can, was a man wearing the loudest tie I had ever seen. He stared blankly in my direction, then handed me his card.

Thus began my association with this modern legend in magic. Where it will end, I cannot say -- but I'm willing to bet that I'll never see the money I've loaned him over the years. Since shortly after our first meeting, I have been his informal personal secretary and biographer. A mountain of material remains to be sorted and deciphered, but I present here a few of the items suitable for release to the general public. You are free to believe them or not, as you wish.