Why are we obsessed with coming-of-age stories?

Also, if you're under the age of 25, please do not embarrass yourself by trying to answer

that.

Because the answer is once you get some years underneath you, you realize how much you

owe to those random gateway moments, and in the moment they never feel special, but they

stick with you.

They make a little change.

They can end up shaping your life, determining your career path, who you marry, what kind

of children you have.

By the time you're 50 years old, you could trace back to one silly moment, an entire

life's work.

29 years ago, this exact month, I began my entire magic career.

And it wasn't because I loved illusion, it wasn't because I loved the starry-eyed look

of children and being amazed, and it certainly wasn't because I thought there was money

in it.

It was one very simple reason.

Gordon Prince.

My best friend, Gordon, refused to tell me how a trick was done.

We're sitting outside in the parking lot of the local movie theater where we both worked.

He spread the cards and I had a truly free choice.

He squared him up, had me place the card on top, and cut the deck, and cut the deck again,

and again and again, until I was absolutely convinced there was no way, short of them

...