Our Christmas party went well last Friday and everyone had a good time. The food was great, the gift-exchange held a few cool surprises and we had a few very good laughs. It really set the mood for our holiday season.
Wow, it’s hard to believe that Christmas is next Friday!
We’ve been very busy the last two weeks getting all those Christmas and holiday packages out the door. Just a reminder, if you want your packages by Christmas you’ll have to select expedited shipping.
Since we won’t have a blog next week, I want to take this opportunity to say Merry Christmas to all of you. We value your business and wish to extend our heartfelt good wishes to you and yours during this joyous season.
My Long-Awaited Owen Card Duck
I’ve been after Alan Zagorsky of Owen Magic Supreme to produce some Card Ducks for many months. He has none in stock and hasn’t been overly excited at the prospect of crafting more. But, I really love the Card Duck trick and consistently sell them (in all shapes and varieties) when I get them in. I’ve kept up my continual pleas for more Owen Card Ducks, which have apparently fallen on deaf ears.
Before I go on, I should tell you that Alan and I have a lengthy history of poking fun at each other, so he obviously saw a fantastic opportunity to go in “for the kill” with my Card Duck request.
Now, continuing…
This week I was pleasantly surprised to receive a package from Owen Magic and had been tipped off that it was in direct response to my Card Duck requests. I figured, “Finally, Alan must have found a few of the long-lost foul” and was forwarding them to me. Upon opening the package I quickly spotted the head of the Card Duck and instantly got VERY excited.
Yippee! My prayers had been answered!
As I opened the box, this is what I expected to see:

No sleight of hand necessary as the smart duck does all the work.
And then…to my utter dismay, I discovered that I’d been sent, a Card Duck Kit, a do-it-yourself kit for creating my own OMS Card Duck. The “kit” included nails, glue, sawdust, Card Duck head, some feathers, a miniature sombrero and tiny serape.
Also included was a handwritten letter that said:
Dear Mr. Gross,
As our production schedule has bee keeping Alan quite BUSY these days, he thought you may have some time to spare in your leisure-filled days to finish this well-anticipated hen that you have been ever so patient for.
Please be sure to send us a photo when your hen is complete!
Thank you,
Everyone at Owen Magic
Sadly, this is what was in the package:

This is the Do-it-Yourself Card Duck Kit I got in the surprise package.
Of course, I immediately called Owen, and when Alan got on the phone, he was fiendishly cackling like some kind of demonic jackal savoring my disappointment and interrupting the lodging of my complaint. Oh, but he definitely had a good laugh on me!
After hanging up the phone, I immediately got into action creating my OWN Card Duck, then snapping a quick picture (as directed) and sending it to him within 20 minutes.

This is MY Card Duck that was easily created with my kit so generously given to me by Alan. Now, the joke’s on him!
Luckily, I had a standard Card Duck on hand and used the materials from the kit to fashion one. I told Alan, “Heck, I made mine in less than 20 minutes Alan. What’s the big deal?”
Mister Zagosky has been informed that pay-back is a B*^#!, so he is to expect a surprise in the near future.
This week rather than a video of my favorite magicians I thought I’d post one of my favorite Christmas video of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra singing “A Marshmallow World” from 1967.
The love and authentic appreciation these two greats had for each other was always palpable. Hope you’ll enjoy this as much as I do!
Again, have a wonderful and peaceful holiday my friends.
More news in the New Year,
Paul