Paul Harris The Art of Astonishment

o here we are. Hanging out at the top of the page. Exploring the edges. Looking for pieces of strange. It's actuallykind of exciting. It also seems like a long way down, but it's really just a perspective thing. Okay, let's put on oursocks, lean way over the edge and prepare to unleash the moment.

BUCK NAKED

This first concept wanted to be so many things in somany ways that it became topheavy with its ownpotential and finally toppled over. So it just sat there,staring inward at it's own infinite possibilities until itgot bored with the view, stripped off it's conflictingideas, and became completely, one-hundredpercent...

BUCK NAKEDEFFECT - You mention a weird thing you read

about in some underground magazine. It explained astrange technique for illegally altering a dollar so itsort of looks like a Five. Some people have even beenable to pass off these obviously phony Five's as thereal thing! You don't have high hopes that you canmake one yourself, but you decide to give it a shot.

You bring out two NORMAL Five-dollar bills andborrow a One. All three bills are carefully examined.Your hands are empty. There are no extra bills orpieces of bills. Nothing is concealed. Nothing else isused.

You take a quick look around to make sure noone's spying on you, then fold the borrowed dollar intoquarters. You rub her folded dollar against your twoFives "to get some ink" then rub it against the the tabletop "to do something to the bill's paper fibers." Youplace the illegal ly-a Itered dollar under yourastonishee's hand, then wait a few moments for theink to react to her body heat. Your two Fives are still infull view. Your hands are otherwise empty. She knowsthat the only thing she can have under her hand is herown dollar.

But when she lifts her hand, her buck now looksexactly like a Five-dollar bill! It really worked! You'restill not convinced the phony Five looks goodenough to fool the Feds so you let her keep it andtake her chances.

Paul Harris The Art of Astonishment

PRE-NAKED

(1) Fold two Fives portrait side out (FIG. 1).

(2) Fold each of them again lengthwise so theBOTTOM of the portrait is on the outside as in FIG.2.

(3) Hold one of the folded Fives in front of you withthe partial portrait of Abe in the upper-right corner.Fold up the lower-left corner of the bill in a diagonalcrease that runs from the upper left to the lower right,creating a triangular "flap"(FIG.3).

(4) Unfold the flaps, smoothing the creasessomewhat so they are not too visible but still easy tore-fold. Put the two creased Fives into your walletand wait for the right moment.

PRE-FLAPSTEP ONE - Borrow a One (or in a restaurant use

the tip left on the table) and openly crease it intoquarters like the Fives. (Do not put in a secret flap.)Bring out your pre-creased Fives and have all threebills examined.

Set the three bills down in a row from left to right infront of you. The One is portrait-side DOWN on the leftwith the bottom of the bill facing to your right. TheFives are portrait-side UP with the bottom of the billsfacing each other. The "flap" Five is on the right withthe flap in the upper left corner (FIG. 4).

STEP TWO - Now pick up both Fives, one with eachhand, thumb on one side and fingers on the other.Each hand casually re-folds its bill (easy because ofthe pre-creasing) by pinching the sides together andfolding the end furthest from you UNDER with yourforefinger. The secret "flap" is now underneath thefolded right-hand bill, the flap's wide end towards you(FIG. 5).

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Paul Harris The Art of Astonishment

STEP THREE - Take a look at the right hand's Five,and notice how the back layer of the bill (the flap) atthe inner left corner flares down from the rest of thebill. You'll fold this corner into "flap position" undercover of the following action: Bring the inner sides ofthe two bills toward each other until the inner rightcorner of crossing the right-hand bill over the left(FIGS. 6 - 9).

You're now looking at one Five crossed at an angleon top of the other Five. The lower right corner of thebottom bill is covered by a matching flap from theupper Five. This position exactly matches theappearance of two normal Fives. There are nodiscrepancies, despite my best intentions.

To achieve this setup is a non-move. It shouldappear as if you simply placed the two bills into yourleft fingers ... and they happen to be in this crossedposition. The natural spring of the secret corner-flapallows for an easy, instant folding into "flap position"as the bills are placed together.

STEP FOUR - Pinch the audience end of the twocrossed bills between your right thumb and forefinger.Openly revolve the two bills as one unit so that thesecret flap-end is toward the audience (FIGS. 10 - 12).

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Paul Harris The Art of Astonishment

STEP FIVE- Fold the One-dollar bill into quarterswith your left hand as you pick it up.If you need help, fold it against the table. Hold thefolded dollar in your left fingers so it's oriented likethe lower Five in your right hand (FIG 13).

STEP SIX - Place the spectator's folded dollar onthe table and direct her to cover it with her hand.Stroke the back of her hand with the two Fives thenhave her lift her hand. Her dollar is still there. Pick upthe dollar again, and openly place it perfectly squaredunder the bottom Five. This leaves your right hand freeto gesture toward the spectator's other hand as yousay, "let's try your other hand instead."

STEP SEVEN - Position her palm-down hand soit's about three inches off of the table. Your rightfingers then pinch the inner end of the One and thelower Five (FIG 14). With both hands hanging onto thebills, duck the entire unit under the spectator's hand.Using her hand as cover, your right fingers slide outthe Five from the middle. It's directly under your rightthumb (FIGS. 15, 16). While you direct her to pressher hand flat onto the bill. As her hand presses downyour left hand comes out with what appears to be thesame two crossed Fives.

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Your spectator is compelled to believe that shejust placed her hand on top of her folded dollarbecause the other two Fives are clearly visible in yourleft fingers. What she doesn't know is that the lowerFive is actually the One, disguised as a Five by thesecret flap of the Five on top.

Paul Harris The Art of Astonishment

FINE POINT - Instead of ducking all three billsunder her hand, your right fingers can openly slide outjust the secret Five and move it through "open space"on its way toward the spectator's hand. It's a very shortride. The one smooth movement from your hand tounder the spectator's will blur the Five's true identity.Everyone will assume it's the dollar.

The partial portrait showing on the lower "Five" isactually a piece of George from the dollar. It's not aperfect match of the portrait on the real Five but it'svery close. (If you don't believe in the DiscrepancyFairy you can adjust the bills so your thumb coversthe piece of George on the lower bill. Now your life isperfect.)

STEP EIGHT - Stroke the "two Fives across theback of her hand again, then innocently put your twoFives away. She lifts her hand to discover her Onehas changed into a Five. Tell her to keep it. She'll say,-Really?" You say, "Sure, put it in your pocket, it'syours to keep forever and ever."

Pay attention to the comments and curious looksthat follow. It's easily worth the four bucks.

FINE POINT - The spectator will keep thinking thatyou are going to ask for the money back. Don't. Letthe tension build until she can't stand it. Then lookcalmly into her eyes and say "No, really. It was madefrom your dollar. It's yours to keep. Just promise meyou won't tell anyone where it came from."

PHOOTNOTE - I know. Four bucks is four bucks,especially after buying all three volumes of this book.(I'm still saving to get my own set.) But if you aredoing this in a coffee shop or a restaurant you'dalready be spending the same money, so whileyou're at it you might as well unleash a moment ofastonishment for dessert.

9 You can also do the above presentation usingall of your own bills, which means that you get tokeep whatever you make.

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BUCK NAKED GRANTYou can do a version of "Grant's SlowMotion Bill

Trick" (the one with the fake corner glued on a bill)without any gaffs using the Buck Naked principle. Justdo the basic Buck Naked to the point where the "One"(really the Five) is under her hand. Magician's-forcethe lower of the "two Fives" in your left fingers. Gentlystroke the fake Fives across the back of her hand - asyou cover the flap with your left thumb and slowly rubthe bills together to massage the lower One-spot intoview. This creates a daylight change of the "selected"Five into her One. When she lifts her naked handshe'll find the transposed Five.

BUCK NAKED FANTASYThis uses maximum flap-technology to create a

double change of two singles into two Fives. Becertain you're familiar with the Basic Buck Nakedhandling before working through this extendedsequence.

EFFECT - You bring out two normal dollars andborrow a Five to demonstrate a remarkable opticalillusion. The three bills are carefully examined. Youtell her to burn the image of the Five into her mind ...then you slide the real Five under her hand so shewon't be distracted. She now projects the mentalimage of her Five onto your two dollars ... and the twodollars instantly transform into two more Fives! Ofcourse they're not real. She checks her own Five, it'snow a dollar! Not to worry. It's all just an opticalillusion.

You make up for her percieved loss by adding oneof your fantasy-Fives to her deluded-dollar. Her six-dollar mirage puts her ahead of the game, until itdeflates into two dollars! You pay her Five bucks forher two so you both make an optical illusion profit.She checks her Five every now and then just to besure.

Paul Harris The Art of Astonishment

PUTTING IN THE WORK(1) Take a couple of seconds to look at how the

flap is folded in the setup to the first Buck Naked.See how that works? Okay. This time you need twodollar bills of your own (you'll borrow the Five). Pre-crease one of the dollars as follows:

(2) Take one of your dollars and fold it in half thelong way so you're looking at the lower half ofGeorge's portrait. Now fold the right side back and tothe left so you see Washington's right cheek, and theletters "ONE D." Make the flap by folding the topsingle layer up and crease it diagonally from theupper-left corner to the lower-right corner (FIG. 17).

(3) Check it from the other side to make sure mostof the " 1 " on the flap is visible. Completely unfold thebill. Take the second dollar, fold it in quarters andcompletely unfold it. Put it with the other One and waitfor the perfect moment.

PERFORMANCESTEP ONE- - Offer to demonstrate a

remarkable optical illusion. Toss out your twosingles and borrow a Five.

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STEP TWO - Take the Five and fold it in half thelong way just like you did with the One. Then fold theleft side back and to the right. The "5" is at the lower-right corner and you see Abe's mouth and beard. Askthe lender to examine your two Ones to "make surethey're real." Take advantage of the distraction to put asecret flap in your Five by folding the top single layerup, creasing it diagonally from the upper right to thelower left as in FIG. 18. (For fingertip handling of thesecret fold see Naked Pre-Crease.) Do this with thebill behind your fingers so no one can see exactlywhat you're doing. (You're just folding and creasingthe bill. No one cares.) As soon as you've put in thecrease, undo the flap, flip the bill over and drop it tothe table.

STEP THREE - Take back the two folded Onesfrom your spectator and hold one in each hand. Thepre-creased dollar is in your right hand (FIG. 19).

Paul Harris Me Art of Astonishment

STEP FOUR - Cross the inner ends of the twoOnes to secretly fold the flap over the inner end of thelower bill (FIGS. 20, 21). Hold the crossed Ones inyour left fingers. Rotate the unit with your right fingersso the flap end is toward the audience (FIGS. 22, 23,24).

STEP FIVE - Pick up the Five in your right hand sothe "5" is in the upper right corner. Put the Five underthe left-hand's dollars to free your right hand to makea palm-down gesture as you say, "Hold out eitherhand, flat like this."

STEP SIX - Your right fingers take back the Fiveand quickly slide it under the spectator's hand.Suddenly notice that she used the wrong hand. Haveher lift her hand while you pick up the tabled Five andplace it perfectly squared under the lower dollar tofree your right hand to gesture again, for her to holdher other hand out palm down and flat. Position herhand so it's just a few inches above the table.

STEP SEVEN - Now for a repeat of the billswitch from the first version:

Bring the bills down right next to the spectator'shand. Your right fingers pinch the One and the Fivetogether at the inner end (thumb on top) then slidesjust the One (it's directly under your right thumb,apparently the Five) out from between the other billsas in FIG. 25 and in a sweeping action slides thisdollar under her outstretched hand. Again, thesweeping action prevents the dollar from beingrecognized and since she clearly sees two dollar billsremaining, she has to believe the Five went under herhand.

Now grasp the packet in your right fingers soyour right thumb goes onto the partial portrait ofLincoln (In this version the difference betweenportraits is more noticeable and needs to beconcealed.)

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Paul Harris The Art of Astonishment

STEP EIGHT - Clearly show the two Ones(privately thank the flap for hiding the Five). Then askfor the spectator's other hand. As she stretches outher palm-down hand rotate the bills so the flap'sends are toward yourself. Cover Abe with your leftthumb, as your right fingers secretly fold the Five'sflap over to the left into open position. Just swing itopen underneath the packet as you "smooth out thebills." It should neatly line up with the left end of theupper dollar. The two bills are now double-flapped, inpreparation for the double-naked change.

STEP NINE - As soon as the Five-flap is in place,rotate the packet so the flap ends are again towardthe audience. Re-take the packet with your rightfingers so your thumb covers that little bit of Abe.

STEP TEN - Put your left index finger directly ontop of the " 1 " flap as you duck the whole packetunder the spectator's outstretched hand. Once thepacket is hidden under her hand, two things happenin the same instant: your left fingers unfold the " 1flap so it goes up flat against the bottom of the One(to ungimmick the One) as your right fingers pull theFive out from underneath the One and put it on top ofthe One.

Before you bring the packet back into view, do aquick peek to make sure the flap on the Five isperfectly covering the One so it looks exactly like twoFives (FIG. 26). Cover that bit of George with your leftthumb as you bring the two transformed bills fromunder the outstretched hand. Give this startlingdouble change of the Ones into Fives a moment toregister, then ask the helper to check the Five underher hand. It looks just like a One. "Oops, that'llhappen every now and then."

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STEP ELEVEN - Give her one of your Fantasy-Fives to keep with her deluded-dollar as follows:

Pick up the One from the table with your left handso you can see the serial numbers on the top, so the"I" is in the upper-left corner. Place this dollar squaredunder the bottom "Five" and take the entire packet inyour left hand, thumb on top and fingers underneath.

STEP TWELVE - Turn your right hand palm downso your fingers can grasp the upper end of the billsas in FIG. 27. (Note that the right fingertips pressdown on the top Five and not on the lower flap.) Yourright fingers now completely conceal the lower Five-flap. The entire packet is now held between your rightfingers and thumb.

Just as your right fingers grasp the ends of thebills, your left fingers take the lower two bills down,to the table, turning palm down which turns the twobills over. Your right fingers hang onto the singleFive - still concealing the flap. During this action saysomething like "I'll keep this Five, and give you theother Five and the One."

Paul Harris The Art of Astonishment

FINE POINT - Slide the top tabled bill to the rightuntil the lower One shows part of the portrait and theletters "E DO" (or in some cases"E D") as in FIG. 28. This is a very subtle thing, butbecause two different parts of Washington areshowing it seems to be a different portrait, meaningtwo different denominations. Don'tpoint this out, just let it be. This fine point is so subtlethat it borders on the meaningless.

STEP THIRTEEN - Your palm-down left fingersthen grasp the left end of the flapped Five (still held inyour palm-down right fingers). Your left fingers turnthe bill over away from you, to automatically unfold thesecret flap as it brushes against your right fingers(FIG. 29). Casually unfold your Five.

STEP FOURTEEN - When she checks her sixdollars she finds only two Ones! Sell her the Five youhold "for the paltry sum of two bucks. This wayeveryone makes a profit."

OPTION - To avoid putting the secret crease into aborrowed bill, you can do this using allyour own pre-creased money.

You can stop here, or push this over the edge bytaking the two dollars she just gave you and go forthe..

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BIG BUCK NAKEDYou offer to sell two examined "magic dollars" for

the drastically discounted price of twenty bucks. Youhad personally paid fifty bucks for the pair just lastweek so you're offering a real bargain here. But forsome strange reason no one sees the value of thisdeal. So you reluctantly transform your two magicdollars into two genuine Hundred-dollar bills, whichyou plan to use as a down-payment on some magicbeans.

* You can do this as a solo or as an encore toone of the other sequences.

During a lull in your life: Fold and pre-crease theHundred in the same manner as the precreasedFive. If you don't have a Hundred you can improviseby carefully drawing two zeros next to the "one" on adollar (be sure to use a matching color ink).

PERFORMANCESTEP ONE - Under cover of removing the bills

from your wallet (for whatever version you're doing)slip the folded Hundred under your wallet so its pre-crease is on the bottom facing away from you. It'sokay for the audience to see the bill going under thewallet. You just don't want them to know itsdenomination.

Table the wallet so the normal end is stickingout toward you just enough to be seen as a bill, butnot enough to be identified as a Hundred. If anyoneasks, mention that you'll get to this other bill in amoment.

STEP TWO - Perform one of the other Buck Nakedsequences, then get the two dollars into the crossed-flapped position (flap towards you) and hold them inyour right fingers directly above the wallet and over theHundred. Openly add this third "dollar from the wallet"to the underside of the two crossedOnes, by movingthem straight down as your left hand moves the walletaside (FIGS. 30,31). The two Ones should slide offthe top of the wallet and down onto the Hundred asyou move the wallet. The Hundred should be squarewith the lower One. Hold all three bills in your rightfingers. The audience knows you've added a third bill.They don't know it's a Hundred.

Paul Harris The Art of Astonishment

STEP THREE - Pretend to slide out this bottombill but actually take the lower (nonflap) dollar at theinner right. This displays a third dollar, apparentlythe bill you just picked up from under the wallet. TheHundred is still on the bottom of the "two" crossedOnes disguised as a dollar.

STEP FOUR - Hand the loose single to a spectatorthen pivot the two crossed "Ones" so the flap endsare toward you. Secretly open the Hundred's flap, thenpivot the bills so the flap ends are again toward theaudience. Direct your spectator to rub the magic dollaragainst your two bills. Then take the dollar back andput it in your pocket. Thank her for transforming yourtwo remaining dollars into "Magic Dollars" (which stilllook like two normal dolI a rs).

STEP FIVE - Offer to sell one of your Magic Dollarsto your spectator for twenty bucks, which is a realbargain when you consider how rare genuine MagicDollars are. After she laughs in your face direct her tohold her hand palm down, where you rub the twodollars against her palm, secretly putting the flappedHundred on top of the One. "The great thing aboutMagic Dollars is that by adding a little body heat youcan turn them into almost anything you want." Revealthe two Magic Hundreds, put them in your pocket.Offer to pay for lunch (credit to Mr. Jack and theBeanstalk for inspiring this presentation).

PHOOTNOTESEric prefers this load ing-technique for a start-and-

finish clean change of a single dollar into a singleHundred under her hand. Add the third" dollar" fromunder the wallet to the two crossed-Ones, slide outthe normal dollar, then place it back under and switchas you slide it (really the Hundred) under thespectator's hand. You can now unfold your two normalOnes so you're squeaky clean before the Hundred isrevealed.

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Paul Harris The Art of Astonishment

There is a refined technique for secretly making theflap-crease while everyone's watching:

Fold the bill into quarters and oriented in flap-position. Hold the bill up in front of you so only you cansee the flap side. Now by slightly spreading the two"wings" of the folded bill you'll have a little "screen" towork behind. Look right at the bill as you fold up theflap of the inner wing. The outer wing completely hidesthis action from the front. Immediately unfold your flapand allow the bill to settle back to normal position.Casually do the folding actions under cover offlattening the creases in the wings.

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WING TIPS* During any of the versions, when the two bills

are crossed and flapped, you can casually open outthe top bill into a long strip. Then refold it to get onwith the show. This is not a make-or-break moment,but it can be a minor amusement if you don't have anactive social life.

- You can also spread your wings so they sort oflook like extra bills. Save this as a treat for yourselfafter you've exhausted the entertainment value of thefirst tip.