Bob Cassidy's
Strange Impressions

Performance pieces for the mentalist and impression
techniques

All contents copyright© 2002 by Robert E Cassidy. All rights reserved. Performance rights to the material contained
herein is granted only to original purchasers of this e-book. Duplication or reproduction and distribution of this
document in any form, physical or electronic, is prohibited.


Table of Contents

￾ The Enigma of #23
￾ Epilogue to 23
￾ Interlude - The Reverend Dr. Bob's "Bank Nite"
￾ Signed Twice
￾ The Art of Pre-show
￾ Creating the Best Impression
￾ BONUS- THE ULTIMATE MIND TRIP
The Enigma of #23

Effect and Presentation
[The performer begins in a very serious tone. As he is delivering the following
introduction, he gradually picks up the pace and volume.] [If your birthday is
not the 23rd, either lie or omit the first line.]
"I was born on June 23 rd. Coincidentally, it is a fact that in any room of at least 23
people, at least two of them will have the same birthday. How many of you,
though, are born on the 23rd? Not necessarily of June, but of any month?
"Strange, isn't it?
"Twenty-three is a very interesting number, you know. According to
researchers - there is even an entire web site devoted to the number - many
coincidences surround it.
"The ancient Egyptians observed New Years Day on July 23rd - the day the dog
star, Sirius, rises behind the sun.
"The human biorhythm cycle is 23 days.

= Page 1 =
"The first prime number in which both digits are prime and add up to another
prime is 23.
"It takes exactly 23 seconds for blood to circulate through the human body.
"During conception, the male and female each contribute 23 chromosomes.
"But it gets even stranger than that...
"Apart from the fact that AOL only allows 23 people it its chat rooms, did you
realize that the letter 'W" - the 23rd letter of the alphabet - has two points down
and three points up? Twenty-three again!
"Two-thirds - 2 divided by three- is .666- the number of the beast in Revelations.
"Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1556 and died on April 23, 1616. That's two
twenty-threes in his life.
And, believe it or not, if you take two twenty-threes you get forty-six. That's how
old Shakespeare was when the King James Bible was published. Check this for
yourself - look up Psalm 46 and count to the 46th word. It is 'shake.' The 46 th
word back from the end is 'spear!'
"It's true, the more you think about the number, the more it seems to come up.
Just the other day I finished reading a book called The Rise and Fall of John Gotti.
There I learned that there are 23 organized crime families in the United States
and that Gotti's, the Gambino family, had 23 capos. I'm sure you won't be
surprised to hear that John Gotti was sentenced to life in prison on July 23rd...
"Is all of this just coincidence?
"Like I said, the more you think about 23, the more it seems to keep showing up.
Now that I've mentioned it, watch what happens - you're all going to start
seeing 23's everywhere.
"It's been driving me crazy lately. It's actually easier for me to read other peoples
minds than to figure out what's happening in my own!
"Let's try to get away from this for a minute. Let me focus on your thoughts.
We'll use a deck of cards."
The mentalist exhibits a pack of playing cards and casually mixes them as he
continues.

= Page 2 =
"I would like two of you to each cut off a small packet of cards, about ten or
thirteen or thereabouts. Like this." The performer, holding the pack face down in
his left hand, cuts off a small packet with his right hand and holds it with the face
of the packet against his chest.
"Just cut them off and hold them up against your chest like this. That way I can't
see the back of the card facing your body." The performer reshuffles the cards as
he approaches a member of the audience.
Two people each cut off small packets, as described.
"Now, each of you, peek at the card closest to your body. Remember it. Burn its
image into your minds and then shuffle up your cards. "
The mentalist now reveals the cards being thought of by both spectators.
He concludes by saying, "Well, that's one way of getting the number 23 out of
our minds... or is it?"
Shaking his head, the mentalist apparently talking to himself, says, "No, it can't
be possible."