Death Defying Acts Page #3

Ah, the Psychic's sidekick...

Do I have permission to kick our

audience in the pants this time?

Come on, kid. Clear off!

Mr. Houdini's had enough for

one day. Come on...

It's no' me. I told you.

It's my mam.

I'm sorry for the intrusion,

Mr. Houdini.

Mr. Sugarman, is it?

We have a psychic act

me and my daughter here.

Not such a wonderful act, really.

I wear a somewhat of

a revealing costume.

I pretend to see those

on the other side.

Sometimes I really do.

My mother would have called it

a travesty

a waste of a God-given gift.

She used hers for healing,

didn't she, Benji?

Maybe I should have made

more of mine. But...

there's no man at home and

there's bread to put on the table.

I'm sorry, Mr. Houdini.

I'm so deeply sorry for your loss...

Last night I dreamed a dream.

I saw someone I've never met,

in a place I've never been.

A lady in a garden.

Her hair was silver

and she was small...

wearing a black dress...

and she was waving as if...

beckoning someone to her.

Does that mean something to you,

Mr. Houdini?

It means you read

the New York Times, Mrs...

McGarvie.

It was The Herald Tribune,

actually.

That picture was

syndicated all over.

Sometimes it works.

Sometimes you have to help

it along. Is that a sin?

I read a page unwritten...

I hear words...

yet unspoken...

But they all seem like shapes...

and colours to me now...

I'm sorry.

Did you say something?

No, no. I...

It's you...

I think you're the one

we've been waiting for.

It was if the Earth

stopped turnin'.

That's what they say in

the great romances, isn't it?

But we didn't know

the half of it.

Are you sure you know

what you're doing, Harry?

Oh, come on,

it's got to be a sign.

You were there.

You saw her.

Now change that to

'scrupulous scientific conditions'.

'Scrupulous'.

There are more things

in Heaven and Earth

than in all your audit books,

Mr. Shakespeare.

More than $10,000?

Mr. Harry Houdini...

...announces the most extraordinary

Experiment ever staged

by modern science

that will prove beyond

all reasonable doubt...

the existence of an Afterlife.

Sealed inside this envelope,

Mr. Houdini has written

the last words spoken to him

by his dear, departed mother

known only to him,

and shared with no one...

This safe will be lodged

at the Royal Bank of Scotland...

until the day of

the Psychic Experiment,

which will be conducted under

scrupulous scientific conditions

in front of the world's press.

Mr. Houdini intends to contact

the departed soul of

his beloved mother...

We've died and gone to heaven!

Look at the Castle, mam!

And I can see right up Princes Street

all the way to the Scott Monument!

Oh! It smells like heather!

And it's all free!

Nothin' in this world's free.

Come Sunday, if we don't deliver

the 'secret words' our

Mr. Houdini wants to hear,

all this goes; itjust vanishes.

But he's taken

a real shine to us!

The plan's workin'.

That's as maybe.

Something's going on.

It was too easy.

I didn't do a thing.

Benji!

Oh. Come in...

Madam. From Mr. Houdini...

Why, thank you very much.

Madam.

What's it say?

He's inviting me

to take luncheon.

Mam! This is it!

This is what we want!

But what does Mr. Houdini want?

Would you stop skippin'

for a minute?

Excuse me,

we've got kids here!

Women and children! You got Male

and Female in the same cage here!

There ought to be

a law against it!

It's Nature, Mr. Sugarman!

Well maybe Nature should

learn a bit of decency.

Monkeys are just like

you and me.

You speak for yourself.

You're no different.

The Great Houdini says

'jump' - you jump.

You're just a dancing monkey!

Let's go and look

at the Aquarium.

They've got sharks and underwater

tortoises and all sorts!

Wanna know something, sweetheart?

What's that, Mr. Sugarman?

You ain't gonna take my

Mr. Houdini for that ten grand.

Mam and I were

keepin'him guessin'.

Luckily men are fools for a bit

'o glitter in a borrowed frock.

Madam...

Mrs. McGarvie...

Forgive the intimacy of

our little restaurant.

News-hounds are everywhere.

I've never stayed

in a place like this before.

Something to tell

the grandchildren.

You got the flowers OK?

Oh, enough for a wedding.

Won't you sit down, please?

Men don't spend money on flowers

just because they enjoy

the smell of them...

Oh, I just meant to be friendly.

Are you sure you

won't sit down?

Is this part of the audition?

Sit down, please.

Pick anything you like.

It's all in foreign.

Do what I do.

Pick a high number.

You can't go wrong.

That.

I'll have that one, please.

That's... bread, madam.

I'll have the same.

Bread all round.

Plain and simple.

Of course, sir.

Bread.

Plain and simple.

Champagne for the lady -

best in the house.

Mrs. McGarvie.

This isn't me - all of this...

I was raised

in Appleton, Wisconsin.

I sold papers, shined shoes,

and did conjuring tricks...

Just a regular Joe?

Well, you've done

your research, right?

You know everything there is

to know about me already.

Not everything.

A little old fashioned, maybe.

But I like 'em...

If you'll allow me...

I'm not a wee girl, Mr. Houdini.

Harry, please.

What is it you want...

Mr. Houdini?

I want to treat you as

the lady you so clearly are.

That's all?

You're special, Mrs. McGarvie.

You have a gift.

The truth was,

she couldn't read him.

And she let him

get under her skin.

We went on the Big Wheel and

Mr. Sugarman was sick!

Back where I come from,

Mr. Sugarman,

we always acknowledge a lady.

Mrs. McGarvie!

I do apologise.

I hardly recognised you.

I don't have the time

or the inclination to figure out

what it is you really want.

So I'll just leave you

and your Mr. Sugarman

to your silly games...

- Mrs. McGarvie. Please...

- Benji!

Mrs. McGarvie!

Harry! Come here, Harry...

If you run after her now

and make a scene...

it'll be all over

the papers by morning.

Then, where is your

great experiment? Hmm?

Harry!

Rise and shine!

Harry!

- What time is it?

- It's late.

Well what did you

let me sleep through for?

Get yourself a louder bell, too!

Gentlemen of the press,

1.00 o'clock.

Worshipful Company of

Locksmiths, 2.30,

and St. Andrew's Orphanage,

4.00 o'clock.

Buy a bunch of shoes

for the kids...

Shoes? Fine...

It's all right, mam.

He's gonna be ages...

Sorry, mam,

I couldn't help it!

Come on, kid!

Harry, do you want me to?

You want to look inside

Pandora's box, huh?

Take a peek

at the real Houdini.

All yours.

No psychic gifts required.

No?

You disappoint me.

Here's me thinking you

was the genuine article.

Solid gold - through and through.

I was embarrassed to ask.

I just needed something...

a personal item,

a wee token...

...a handkerchief.

That's all.

You see, it helps me

channel the energy...

my psychic energy...

Your 'psychic energy'?

I've seen mediums, crystal-gazers,

palmists, spirit-guides,

theatres fit to bust with

psychic energy, Mrs. McGarvie!

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