What shall we do next?" I asked.
"How should I know? You know what all this stuff does," Scott replied.
"Sorry to disappoint, but I only know the stuff I've done."
"What does that do, Julie?" asked Scott, as he indicated a person-shaped
cabinet the other side of the aisle.
"I don't know, 'cause I've never done that one. Why don't we give it a go?"
"Are you sure? Didn't James say something about experimenting with magic you
don't know?" he cautioned.
"It's alright if there is someone else about," I stated, although it crossed
my mind to wonder how much use Scott would be if the magic went wrong, but he
did seem to know the proper way to do magic, which I hoped was good enough.
"If you say it's alright, who am I to disagree?"
We went over to the cabinet and dragged it to the practice area. We also
brought the box that was on the wheeled base of the illusion. Pinned to the
lid of the box was a sheet of paper that said it was the instructions for
the illusion.
Scott unpinned the paper and began to read. "Open the body case, position
the assistant and close the case." A pause. "How does it open? any ideas,
Julie?"
While he had been reading, I had been examining the cabinet. It was shaped
like a person, except that head, hands and feet were missing. I was supported
above the low platform on a thick pole that seemed to form an extension of the
devices backbone. I found a couple of clips at the ankles and was very surprised
(I think I squealed) when the entire front of the thing swung forward and up.
The front stopped and swayed gently when it reached horizontal.
Scott came over and measured himself against the case. "I looks like I'll be to
big to fit," he commented.
"It always seems that it's my turn." I stepped up to the cabinet and put my head
through the neck hole. I took up the stance that was needed to fit in the thing
and tried to shuffle backwards into the back part of it. As I edged back my skirt
began to be in the way. I ducked back out of the cabinet and retreated behind a mirror.
"What's up?" called Scott.
"I need to be more appropriately dressed, this skirt has been in the way all afternoon,"
I yelled back. I slipped off my skirt and untied the knotted corners of my blouse and
did up all the buttons to improve the modesty.