“Eggs.”
“Right you are. Here, pass these around, but make sure not to crack them. I want everyone to feel ’em and verify that they are, indeed, real eggs.”
As the eggs were being passed around, I addressed the audience again. “Now can anyone tell me, what we do with eggs?”
A few hands went up. Maybe this wouldn’t be too bad after all. I pointed at another kid. “Eat them!” was his reply as all three eggs were passed back to me.
Nodding I shouted, “That’s right, juggling them!”
A few giggles and startled shouts came from the kids in the front as I began juggling the eggs practically over their heads. They squealed and laughed as I pretended to bobble them.
But I wouldn’t drop them. I’d practiced this bit for over a year starting at age twelve. It didn’t make me many friends, but I could still juggle in my sleep.
I stopped juggling the eggs and held my hand to my ear. “What’s that? Y’alleatyour eggs? Well, shoot. I forgot you can eat ’em too. Now, who here thinks these eggs are real?”
Almost every hand shot up, but I pretended not to see them.
“None of you? Really? Alright then, I guess it’s ok for me to do this!” I heard a collective gasp as I brought an egg up high over my head, then quickly smashed it over my little clown cap I’d put on over my wig. The yolk and slimy egg white dripped down my wig and onto the ground.
Actually, the wig came in handy. When I used to do this in my magic show, I did it on my forehead, and the egg would run down my face.
I was delighted at the kids’ happy squeals. Going on with the show, I made a disgusted face.
“Who put a real egg in here?” I pointed at a few kids. “You?” A little girl shook her head furiously, then pointed to a little boy next to her who shook his head, too.
“I guess thesearereal eggs! Darn it all, now I only have two.” I made a big show of holding up the remaining two eggs for all to see, then exaggeratedly snapped my fingers.
“Hang on a sec, I remember puttin’ a spare somewhere . . . here it is!”
I retrieved one of the two prop eggs from my waist pouch, now holding two real eggs and one prop egg in my hands. As soon as I brought the fake prop egg out, I started to juggle the eggs again, walking near the kids and juggling almost over their heads again. It was then that I noticed the patio door slide open, and a bright blonde head with green eyes peeked out, watching intently.
“Now, where’s the birthday girl?” I asked the crowd, stopping my juggling and making a big show of searching the crowd, even though Ryla was sitting front and center.
“She’s here! Ryla’s right here!” A kid I recognized as Eric stood up and pointed at Ryla excitedly from his spot next to her.
“Come on up here, little lady.”
Smiling, Ryla scrambled up. Her crown had gone a little crooked since I’d last seen her. When she got close to me, she gave me a small wink. I put the two real eggs in my waist pouch and held up the empty prop egg.
“Listen up, folks. For Ryla’s special birthday surprise, we need the contents of this egg to turn into a chick. And you have to help me do it. So, on the count of three, I need you to shout, ‘OOGALY BOOGALY!’”
I had them practice a few times, the kids getting more and more into it with each try.
Glancing at the parents, I saw there weren’t as many frowns, and Polly’s arms were no longer crossed, which I was taking as an absolute win.
I gestured to Ryla. “Now, little miss, you have special birthday magic. On the count of three, I want you to shout, ‘Oogaly boogaly!’ along with everyone else. And you’ll need to wiggle your fingers right at the egg. Can you do that?”
She nodded.
“Alright. One, two, three?—”
“Oogaly boogaly!”
As everyone screamed, I noticed Max, who had started watching us from the patio door earlier, was now standing fully outside, back up against the door.
I shook the egg, pretending that it had worked and was now ready.
“Magnificent!” I cried. “Now, let’s crack this open to see if it worked!”
