Magic Fever

Before Christmas one day when Viva and I were out at the store we stopped to look through a display of books. Viva saw a magic kit and was very taken with it. She said that's what she wanted for Christmas--and a sewing kit, too. (She was fixated for weeks on owning a sewing kit which she did get.) Later when I was buying gifts for her I purchased the magic kit.

On Christmas Eve when the children were opening their gifts in the early afternoon, Bentley opened a book titled "The Dangerous Book for Boys." He found a short chapter on magic which showed how to do a slight-of-hand coin trick. He immediately started practicing it. In the evening when Viva opened her magic kit from opa and I Bentley was quite envious. He wanted to study more magic tricks, but Viva wouldn't share her kit with him.

Normally the children are asked to share their books, games, and toys with each other. However when the toy is brand new the recipient is given some leeway on this rule. I told Bentley he would have to wait a while before he'd have access to Viva's magic kit. Viva told him he couldn't ever look at it because she didn't want him knowing how she was doing her tricks. This was a clever point of argument, but she knew that in time it wouldn't hold up.

Bentley didn't want to wait weeks for Viva to allow access to her magic kit, so he decided he'd buy one of his own. He asked to look on amazon.com. He reviewed different magic kits and decided on one. He came to me and asked me to make the purchase for him. I told him he might want to ask for it for his birthday which is just a few weeks from now. Or I suggested that he get his brother and sister to buy it with him. After all they would want to use it, so why not get them to help pay for it?

He talked to them and they were as interested as he was, so he had his mother order it for them. That was Wednesday afternoon. This morning (less than 48 hours later) it arrived on our doorstep. (Those of you who live in the Lower 48 are used to second day shipment from amazon.com for Prime members. Prime members in Alaska do not normally receive second day shipment.)

The children grabbed the box and hid themselves in their bedroom to open it. They did not want to share its secrets with their future magic show audience. I asked if I could come in and take a quick photo which they allowed. They are in the bedroom right now practicing magic tricks. It's especially fun when all three find a new interest in common!