A Letter to Michael Vincent from a Young Artist:
Story from the Road
Dear Michael Vincent,
When I was thirteen, going on fourteen, I wore a suit every single day. I was always an eccentric.
I wore a suit because my idol was a sleight-of-hand artist named Michael Vincent. I’ve written about him before (see God Bless Michael Vincent).
At that age I was going through a rough time and I was having a hard time adjusting. Studying Michael Vincent’s work helped to get me through. It also made me the sleight-of-hand artist I am today.
Once, at a party in Las Vegas, I showed Jeff McBride (of Magic and Mystery School fame) a card trick when he asked to see something. He said “your technique is fantastic, who taught you your cards. I said “Michael Vincent (even though I hadn’t met him at that point) he taught me everything.”
Jeff said “he’s amazing isn’t he!?”
I said “he’s the best there is.” I said that to everyone. Most of the time I still do.
I only mention it because just the other day I was looking through an old flash drive of mine trying to find some footage of myself performing a trick I haven’t done in a long time. I wanted to update it, play with it, and see why I liked it and why I left it alone.
As I searched I came across an old letter I’d written to Michael Vincent. The greatest sleight-of-hand artist alive.
Visions and memories shot through my head. I remembered staying up in the late night hours practicing sleights and moves. I even remembered writing two handwritten drafts of the letter. I remembered having thrown both away realizing I’d probably never meet him and didn’t know where to send them anyways. But for some reason, I didn’t remember having typed one up, and I certainly didn’t remember having saved it on a flash drive.
I opened it. I read it. It was curious…
At one point I mentioned “I’ve personally noticed that you always seem to be wearing a suit… So in your honor I wear a suit everyday.” All of the sudden I remembered wearing suits everyday, an homage to my idol. A deck of cards in my left hand jacket pocket, always.
The letter was written about a month after I’d turned fourteen years old. Some of it is bullshit. In fact most of it is bullshit and I’m glad I never sent it. But it ended with something that made me smile.
It reads:
“So mainly I have written this as a thank-you to you Michael Vincent and although you don’t know it you are my mentor, for all aspects in life, and I dream that one day our paths will cross and we’ll meet.”
If you’ve read my previous piece about him then you know already that our paths have crossed and we have met. And I still hold him in the highest esteem. The greatest close up magician and sleight-of-hand artist ever to live. One of the men who’s had the deepest influence on me and my work. And now, I’m lucky to say, my friend.
From,
James Mollenkamp
That was great! :) :) !