The Magician

The Magician

         Gregory Allen was a large burly man with gray thinning hair. He walked down the aisle with his hands clasped behind his back and his head bowed. He'd never before felt such crushing grief. He hoped he could get through this without falling apart. At the front of the church, he stood between the two coffins. He touched his dear friends and sucked back the sob he felt forming in his throat. Then he wiped his tears with his handkerchief and stepped up to the podium. He paused to look at the portrait, his friends on their wedding day. I can't do this, he thought.

         He turned to look at the people gathered for the funeral and a smile spread across his face. "Danny would've love this," he said and glanced over at his friend's coffin. "It's standing room only, old friend, you always could pack the house."

         A number of people laughed in agreement.

         Greg continued, "I probably knew Daniel and Cassandra Mason the longest; Danny and I grew up together. We were like brothers, doing everything and going everywhere together. Everybody loved Danny."

         "Yeah," someone called out. "Especially the ladies."

         Greg grinned and nodded. "Right, especially the ladies, but that never gave Cassie a moment's worry. Danny had given himself to her body and soul. I've never known a couple more devoted to each other. Let me tell you about them. One day, when we were in high school, a bunch of us guys were bragging to each other about what we did on our dates. Danny just sat there saying nothing.

         'Fess up, Danny,' Mike said. 'How far have you gone?'

         Danny smiled. 'There's been some kissing but no more. None of the girls I've dated is Her."

         'What do you mean, Her?' Pete asked.

         'My soul mate,' Danny answered. 'I've decided to wait until I meet Her, the girl I'm going to spend my life with.'

         'What he's telling us is that he's a virgin,' sneered Mike."

         Greg sighed. "We gave him a real hard time that day, but he never let it bother him. Cassie and her family moved in next door to Danny's family the summer before we started our senior year. We were shooting hoops in his driveway when they arrived." Greg glanced over at Cassandra's body. "She was beautiful, long blonde hair, large blue eyes and I remember my heart skipping a beat when I saw her. I started to walk over to introduce myself, but Danny spoke up.

         'Don't bother,' he said. 'That's Her. That's the girl I'm going to marry.' He threw the basketball to me and went over to her. They stood there talking at the end of her driveway until her mother called her in. When he got back he had a big grin on his face.

         'Did you ask her out?' I asked.

         He nodded. 'We going to the movies Saturday.'

         From then on neither of them ever dated anyone else. In the spring when our school had its talent show, Danny did his magic act and Cassie was his assistant. They won and Danny said it was because she looked so hot in those fishnet stockings.

         They went to college together and Danny perfected his magic act. He began performing professionally. They married a week after graduation, and Danny's career took off. Whenever they were in town, they sent me tickets and backstage passes."

         Greg stepped away from the podium. "I don't know how many of you know that in 2001, Danny had a major heart attack and emergency bypass surgery. They nearly lost him during the operation. Cassie never left his side day or night. I walked in one day while he was still in the hospital and heard him reassuring her that he was going to be all right. 'Remember our vows,' he said. 'I promised you, in sickness and health, together forever. Baby, I'm never going to leave you.' Then he kissed her.

         When Cassie left us alone to talk I asked, 'How can you make a promise like that? You were very lucky to survive this attack.'

         He smiled. "It's my destiny. Did I ever tell you, Cassie and I are the exact same age? We were born on the same day at the same time.' He looked at my face and added, 'Really, I have the birth certificates to prove it.' His face took on a serious expression. 'Greg, don't ever tell Cassie this, but I know that I won't die before her. Just as we came into this world, we'll leave it, together.'

         I didn't know what to say to him. This was one of his more bizarre predictions.

         'I can see, you don't believe me,' he said. 'I guess we'll just have to wait and see if I'm right.' With a laugh he added, 'It's a pity I won't be there to say, I told you so.'

         A month later Cassie invited me to dinner. I couldn't believe how well he looked. He was completely recovered. Before I left, Danny handed me a sealed envelope and whispered, 'Do you remember our conversation at the hospital?'

         I nodded.

         'Well, open this at my funeral, not before, and read it out loud.' He grinned and made me swear that I would do it."

         Greg took the envelope from his pocket and someone called out, "What's in it?"

         "I don't know; I haven't opened it yet," Greg put it on the podium. "Danny went back to performing. He did shows all over the world and added illusions other magicians are still trying to figure out. When you watched him, you could believe he was really doing magic. He and Cassie were the happiest couple I've ever known. And then, a year ago, she was diagnosed with cancer. When the operated they found it had spread throughout her body. She gave it a good fight. Danny stopped performing so he could take care of her. The chemo and radiation weren't helping so they stopped them.

         I was with him in the hospital when he told me, 'It's only a matter of hours now, she's dying. My soul mate is dying and there is nothing I can do." Suddenly the alarm on the monitor by her bed sounded and the lines on the screen went flat. The doctor and the nurses came running and I pulled Danny out of the way and made him sit down in the chair by the window. We watched as they tried to revive her. When they stopped and the doctor pronounced the time of death I turned to Danny. He was slumped over. The doctor felt his wrist and his neck and then said, 'He's gone. They're both gone.'"

         Greg stepped back up to the podium. "I lost two good friends that day." He looked again at the portrait and then picked up the envelope. "And now," he said. "I'll keep my promise." He opened the envelope and took out a folded piece of paper. When he unfolded it he started to laugh. "Oh, Danny, I should have known."

         Someone called out, "Come on. Greg. What does it say?"

         "What do you think it says?" Greg asked. Then he read aloud, the message Danny had written in great big block letters. I TOLD YOU SO.


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