Icon May Go Up in a Puff of Smoke

Barry Taylor does a "burning book" trick at his shop in Wheaton. Wife Susan Kang and store mascot Frankie often perform for visitors as well. (Photos By Bill O'leary -- The Washington Post)

The other day, Bob David of Rockville, who likes to perform for his grandchildren and other relatives, came in looking for a trick he could use on a family trip.

Here's just the one, Taylor says, pulling out a deck of cards that have a different name written on the back of each: The queen of clubs is "Alec," and the nine of diamonds is "Bud." Taylor asks David to think of a card and keep it to himself. Then Taylor says he'll tell David the name his card corresponds with.

"Phil," Taylor announces after a moment. "That's the name of your card."

He rifles through the deck, pulls out the card named Phil and, sure enough, it's the card David was thinking of: the seven of clubs.

Impressed, David plunks down his money, which entitles him to a trip behind the counter, where the other customers can't overhear Taylor explaining the secret, which won't be divulged here either. Magic deconstructed isn't magic. It's a trick -- a clever ruse that when performed correctly creates a stunning illusion.

"It's all in the presentation," a deflated Taylor tells David.

Explaining the mechanics isn't any fun.

"It ruins the wonder," he says.

And the wonder is everything.