by Charlie McBurney

Effect:
The performer asks for random numbers to be called and writes down the first four in order on a black board. He introduces a bag of numbered ping pong balls and has four drawn and isolated in a shoe box. The performer states that what follows will confirm or disprove the psychic abilities of the spectators. One at a time the selected balls are shown to match those on
the board.

Requirements:
27 numbered ping pong balls, a paper bag filled with 20 of the balls (2 sets labeled 0-9). A shoe box with two shoe box lids. Both lids have a 5 cm square hole cut into the centre which has elastic material glued over it. There is a slit cut into this material so that balls can be delivered through it. The lids are identical except that one of the lids has a small box attached to it's underside so that anything inserted through the hole in the lid ends up inside the smaller box. this small box should be large enough so that it can easily hold four balls with room to spare, but small enough so that it is hidden well by the lid when the top of the lid is held towards the audience.

A black board and chalk will be required as as well as a place where props can be kept out of sight but in easy reach. A large case would work, but here, an area behind the black board would be the most logical. Seven balls are placed inside the shoe box. They are numbered from 2 through to 8. The lid with the small box attached is placed on top but to one side so that the seven balls inside can be seen and accessed. The balls should be in order with the numbers upper most so that the performer can easily take any balls required. This assembly is placed out of sight behind the black board along with the un-gimmicked lid and the paper bag with the other balls inside.

Method and Performance:

The performer asks spectator no.1 to name any number between one and nine. This is a subtle way of limiting the choice to only the numbers 2 through 8. The first number is written on the board and the performer asks for another number between 1 and 9 from spectator no.2 (using the word "another" should yield a different number). A third and then fourth number is requested is the same fashion. If the numbers are requested in this way the performer should end up with four different numbers from 2 to 8 on the board. In the event that the same number is called twice the performer can point out that that number is already on the board and request a different one. In the unlikely event that one or nine is called he needs only to repeat the words
"between one and nine". Lets say for this example that 5 3 6 7 are the numbers on the board.
Once the numbers are on the board the performer reaches behind the board and into the shoe box taking out three of the seven balls. These balls will be the ones with numbers not on the board (in this case 2,4 and 8), leaving the four chosen numbers in the box. He slips the
gimmicked lid on to the box and then brings the three balls forward announcing that he has some ping pong balls and that they are numbered. The performer displays the three balls to the audience and then reaches behind the board and retrieves the bag of ping pong balls. Shaking the bag he explains he has a whole bag full. He then adds the 2, 4 and 8 balls to the bag. To the audience it should merely seem that the performer showed some of the balls and returned them to the bag. The performer explains that some balls will be selected at random and isolated inside a box. As he says this he reaches behind the black board and produces the shoe box. Shaking the bag while doing this would cover any slight noise the balls in the box might make. The performer holds the bag with one hand and the box with the other as he approaches spectator one. Spectator one is instructed to reach into the bag and make a fist around any ball and take that ball and, without looking at it, push it through the hole in the top of the shoe box. This is
repeated with the other three spectators.

The performer returns to the stage and puts the bag on the floor. He takes the lid off the shoe box, lifting it from the back edge so that the top is towards the spectators and the small box containing the spectators actual selections remains hidden. The lid is placed behind the black board. The performer shows his hand empty and slowly reaches into the box and removes the five. Announcing that the first ball is a 5 he places this on the narrow chalk ledge below the 5
written on the black board. He then removes the 3 and 6 placing them below the matching numbers on the board. The performer says there is only one ball left. He explains that he doesn't even want to touch this last ball and as he says this he retrieves the un-gimmicked shoe box lid and places it on the box. The box can now be handed to a spectator so that they themselves can remove the lid and announce that the last ball really does match the last digit on the board. The shoe box, bag, and balls can then be examined.