Bumbles Magic

Bumbles Magic

Bumbles loved doing his magic for children. In fact magic could only be done with children because children believed. Without belief, there was no magic. Adults were generally cynical and didn’t believe in magic. That is why adults were entertained with tricks, instead of magic.

But today, on New Year’s Eve, at the edge of the town center in Rothenburg, Germany, a small crowd of children had gathered around Bumbles to watch his street magic show. Their bundled parents stood in clusters at the gluehwein stand drinking warm mulled wine from small glass cups. All in a holiday spirit, they chatted with friends while their breaths clouded in the cold air, all the while keeping an eye on their children.

Bumbles produced a small bouquet of flowers out of thin air with a flourish, and with a courtly bow and a big smile presented them to Cora, a pretty six year old dressed for the holidays in a festive white trimmed red dress and a matching red beret. Amazed and pleased she happily accepted the bouquet and to Bumbles’ surprise, curtsied when she thanked him. “You are welcome my lady”, he said, clicking his heels together and giving her a nod as he tipped his top hat to her and as the tails of his tuxedo flapped gently in the breeze.

To the children he said, “Young ladies and gentlemen, that concludes my show for the day, and for this year. If you enjoyed the show, please tell your parents that a small donation would be appreciated. My tip box is here on my table. Good evening and Happy New Year to you.”

With that, Bumbles smiled and waved to the children and their parents as the parents became aware that their children were being returned to them. He smiled to himself as he noted that Cora’s father was handing her paper money to put in his tip box. “Maybe a fiver,” he thought to himself, but when he got to the tip box he saw that she had a twenty euro note in her hand. “Thank you,” he said, and she went back to her father and mother.

It was then that he noticed that the father was engaged in an argument with an itinerant street vendor selling souvenirs who Bumbles did not recognize. “I gave you a 50 euro note and you only gave me change for a 10,” he heard the father say “No, no, you only gave me a 10,” the vendor said. “Look,” the vendor said, flashing a 10 euro note. “Only a 10.”

Bumbles had seen this act before. Unfortunately a few unscrupulous people regularly tried to take advantage of tourists or the elderly by giving the wrong change. If the victim noticed it, generally the cashier or seller would just say, “Oh, I’m sorry, I thought it was a tenner,” or whatever the denomination was that was in play, and say “Here you go”, and give the victim his correct change. Just an honest mistake he would pretend.

But this vendor seemed intent on bullying his way through this illicit transaction. So Bumbles intervened. “Here, let me see the bill,” taking the 10 note from the startled vendor. “What is the argument? This is a 50 euro note,” he said showing the father and the vendor the 50 euro note he had exchanged for the 10 when he had taken the 10 from the vendor. “You need to give him his change,” he forcefully said to the vendor. Confused, but seeing the 50 euro bill, the vendor gave the father change for the 50.

“Here,” Bumbles said, handing the vendor the 50 euro note, but somehow by the time the vendor had pocketed the bill it had turned into a five euro bill. Bumbles smiled imagining the vendor's reaction when he discovered his 50 was now a fiver.

The father shook Bumbles’ hand. “Thank you,” he said effusively. “ But I know that he was holding a ten euro bill. How did you turn it into a 50?”

Bumbles looked at him and smiled. “Magic,” he said. “And Happy New Year!” he offered over his shoulder as he went back to finish packing up his magic gear.