Coughs, laughs and pennies - My high school talent show.

It's was 1985 or 86. I can't remember. I was in high school. It was Buffalo Grove High school. I was excited to find out that they were going to have a variety show. I auditioned and made on the list to perform. For the next several months I would practice in my room getting ready for the big day.  Instead of going out with my friends I would pretty much lock myself in my room and just practice.

I would have several tables set up. I tried my best to set them up in the same manner as they would be set-up for the show. One of the things I enjoyed the most was selecting the music to go with my show.
At that time era "Beverly Hills Cop" was a great success at the  box office. I remember when I first saw that movie. I hear the music and I knew that it was what I wanted to use in my show. The song was called Axle F. Which was the song that they pretty much played throughout the entire movie.


One I found the music I wanted I then selected the magic effects that I wanted to perform. My magic mentor at that time was Ralf Beck. Bless his soul. He has passed on now, but what I have learned as well as the memories have stuck with me. Ralf Beck was a nephew of  Thurston the Great. Ralf had all kinds of great advice and pointers that he gave me. I remember one time asking him "Do you ever practice?" he just looked at me and said. "When you get as old as me you don't have to practice. Your shows are when you're practicing.

Ralf also sold me several magic props such as tables and also a white tux. I think I still have one of his tables. It sure shows it age.

I was now approaching the day of the talent show. I remember I was in class and their was a discussion about the  talent show that was coming up on the weekend. One of the classmates, Lawrence  Vanhoorelbeke heard about the talent show and that I was going to perform in it. Lawrence said that he was going to show up and boo for me when I perform.

Great! like I don't have enough stress to worry about then some idiot bully thug on my mind. Larry was a unique guy. The type that would rip into you for not knowing the answers when called on, but when you call him on it he's all speechless. I had a lot of them in my class. It's amazing that they can even remember to breath.

Well the big day came and I was next in line to do my magic. The MC's introduce me. As the curtain opens I'm welcomed with several people coughing and laughing. They didn't even give me a chance. I just moved on to what I was doing hoping that I would kick some but and win the disrespectful classmates over. That was pretty much my whole high school life. I couldn't figure out why a lot of them hated me. I was a good kid. I tried to get along with everyone. Have you ever been disliked by someone and you don't know why? I guess their reasons were plenty. I was new to the school. All the classmates seemed to know each other from previous schools, JR High.  I myself was from Chicago. I had moved out to Arlington Heights, Il shortly after my dad passed away.

Kids can be so cruel. They really don't know the repercussions they cause. It can have a permanent effect all the way up to an adult. When your are a kid, that really doesn't matter. All that matters is hanging out with the cool cliques, making sure you look good by treating others bad and also making sure you're up to date and hip on the newest clothing fads.

I was nervous as hell performing in the talent show. The energy in the room was unreal. It was like time was in-between tow dimensions. Fast and slow all at thew same time. As I was performing I heard a cling on the floor. I didn't know what it was. I just kept going, but then I heard another, and then another. After the last few clings on the floor I realized what it was. It was pennies. Someone was actually throwing pennies at me. Like the coughing and laughing wasn't enough I had to now endure this. Now what was supposed to be something I was excited and proud to be in turned into a experience I will never forget.

Despite those hardships I still pressed on. I loved magic and I wasn't going to give it up.
I would say things in my mind that would help me cope with the bullying. I think to myself "Ya! you guys cough, laugh and throw pennies, but I bet you your ass you wouldn't have the balls to go up there and perform like I did. I always had that little voice in me to help calm me down and to think positive. I think it most of been my guardian angel.

The variety show went fast. It seemed like it took forever to get there and a split second to be over.
I was apprehensive to go to school Monday after the disrespectful audience members. I was expecting even more, but quit the opposite happened. Everywhere I turned I had kids thumb up-ing me and saying "Great Job!" I didn't know you could do magic. I was taken back by surprise. I wasn't expecting that, but it made me realize that not all the kids at this school are bad. I realized at that moment that the reason whey they were being assholes at the show was because they were jealous.

All the days and months prior to the talent show they have already judged who I was or without even really knowing me. When I went on stage to perform that kind of threw them off and the only way to deal with it was to be immature and rude.

During my four years at my high school I suffered a lot of emotional pain. I would get bullied a lot and never really stood up for myself. Lawrence Vanhoorelbeke, was one of the biggest bullies during my high school life. Not just to be, but to everyone. He was the football ass brainless thug that couldn't think for himself. I went through 3 years of bullying fear from this prick.

My senior year was the best out of all 4 years. Everyone seemed to lighten up a bit and were a little more acceptable to non cliques. One day I was in class and I felt like crap. I had a cold and I wished that I was at home. Lawrence  Vanhoorelbek, noticed I wasn't feeling good and in his whining, irritating voice he would do just to annoy me. "Oh! youuuu pooor baby..." that was it for me. I snapped. All the sudden the four years that I had to put up with this prick came to a hauling stop.
I got up from my desk and slammed my arm across his desk making his books fly across the room.
I was beat red and I said "Common Larry! lets fuckin go at it right here!" his look was precious. The whole class looked at me in shock. The teacher even chimed in and said. "You know what! I really wish he would kick your ass because you are an ass whole.

After that day Larry never bothered me again. I learned a valuable lesson that day. You need to stand up for yourself in the moment. Don't wait for the right moment to stand up for yourself because you may not have the opportunity again.

Bullies aren't very bright. They hide in the darkness by bullying other people. They don't want to be bullied them selves or maybe at one point they were bullied and they now lash onto bullying others.
They could may also be having problems at home. Regardless, it isn't right, but maybe with help and support we can win bullies over. They might be bullying as a cry for help.

I think some of that bulling crap has stayed with me. The coughing, laughing and throwing pennies is really damaged my confidence and although I know I'm good at what I do and put smiles on many faces it's become am issue of trust with people at times. I don't want to get hurt. I would rather just be by myself. Like I was in high school practicing for hours in my room. It was fun. It was safe. I did what I loved.

Now here I am 30 years latter. I'm a inventor and creator of magic. I'll have almost 8 magic effects out on the market in under just 2 years. That's something to be proud of.

We all have coughs, laughs and pennies in our life. It's what we do with those coughs, laughs and pennies that count. If that happened to me again I would calmly pick up the penny and start performing the Missers Penny. I might even cough up a few pennies and laugh as I'm doing it.

Sometimes in entertainment that's what its all about!
Coughs, Laughs and pennies.

Imaginator