The Tablecloth Trick
Like most people, I wanted to be a magician when I grew up. I recently attended a screening of the 2007 Swedish filmYou, The Living (Du levande)by director Roy Andersson, a funny/sad movie made up of 50 vignettes that portray everyday life as absurd, petty, and hilarious. In the following scene, a man tries to enliven a family reunion by performing the tablecloth trick.
Which, of course, led to the question: How do you perform the tablecloth trick for real? Have I seen it performed anywhere but in cartoons? Is it even possible?
A quick YouTube search settled any doubts. Here is the answer–a small feat of classroom heroism performed by a nervous looking young man in an uncomfortable outfit.
The cheering! The vindication! The glory!
So how is it done? Could one perform this trick in defiance of one’s own imperfection and discomfort? Elsewhere on YouTube, a guru named Zanthor provides instructions. (Not recommended: searching for other videos of Zanthor. Magic’s romance quickly fades.) Looks pretty easy, actually. Too bad we don’t have any tables with right angles in the office, or I’d try it out right now. There’s even a vase full of fresh flowers within easy reach…
The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.