by My Uncle Bert was a kid at heart. He remembered all the gags that were played on him by his father, Grandpa Bolyard. Yep, that was their last name, “Bolyard”. Someone with a last name like that cannot take jokes seriously. He developed quite a sense of humor.
Uncle Bert would rub our heads and tell us what we were thinking. We were young enough that our answers would be very predictable. He would say things like,
“Think of something red. Most children say, “An apple.”
“At Halloween, it was the best time for this stunt. He would ask us what is something orange and we would say, “A pumpkin”. Something black…”a black cat”. Something black and pointed… “a witches hat.” Something in a brown paper bag… “corn candy!”
This stunt is similar to Uncle Bert’s pranks. Uncle Bert didn’t have to think to hard to guess what we were thinking. In the following gag, you can make the audience believe you can read their minds but you have to have a helper in the audience. You need a secret pal. This is something Uncle Bert didn’t have. He was just quick-witted.
Preparation: Ask a friend to place five objects in a row. Then, while you are out of the room, a member of the audience will point to any one of the objects. You will come back to feel the temples of a few people and pretend to read their thoughts as they concentrate on the object that was chosen. When you touch your helper’s temples, your helper should tighten his jaw (This is like clenching your teeth). He does this a number of times to signal the position of the object.
Tightening the jaw causes the temples to bulge a bit against your fingertips so you can easily feel your helper’s signal. One clench would signal the first object on the left. Two clenches would signal the second object, and so on. Make sure you and your secret pal are facing the same way so that the first object on your left is his first object on his left.
How to do this stunt:
Place any five objects in a row near your secret helper. Tell the audience that you will leave the room. While you are gone, one member should pick one of the five objects. Everyone concentrates on that object when you return. Place your fingertips on the temples of a few friends including your secret helper.
After you count the number of times your pal has signaled, say you know what everyone was thinking.. and and name the object! Everyone will be astounded… and you can count on that!
Have you ever asked a person a question knowing exactly what they would answer? Did you ever expect something wonderful would happen and something better happens? A great birthday or Christmas celebration means someone read your thoughts. Someone picked a gift for you that you wanted. It wasn’t so much reading your mind as listening for what you wished for. It is awfully nice to drop a few hints just before your birthday and have your wish come true!
Here is a song that makes us believe the worse! (Google, “Jaws” children’s song for video)
“Jaws”
I want to tell you a story
I want to tell you a story
about Jaws
about Jaws
Daddy Jaws
Daddy Jaws
Mamma Jaws
Mamma Jaws
Baby Jaws
Baby Jaws
There came a lady
There came a lady
Swimming in the sea
Swimming in the sea
“Oh, won’t you come pretty lady and swim with me?”
“Oh, won’t you come pretty lady and swim with me?”
There’s Jaws!
There’s Jaws!
Shark attack!
Shark attack!
No more lady!
No more lady!
No more lady!
No more lady!
Burp.
This is a camp song and there are hand gestures with it. The author is unknown and everyone has a different tune for the song.
