EFFECT

Ash from a cigarette rubbed into your palm mysteriously travels to the spectator's. This trick is an excellent quickie in a bar or restaurant where people are smoking.

PREPERATION

Before you begin, get a little ash on your right middle finger. This is easily done in the act of picking up and ash tray and moving it to your table or under some other ploy.

METHOD

Step 1: Ask someone to hold out their hand palm down, demonstrate what you mean. When the person does this, grasp their hands (your thumbs on top and fingers below) momentarily while you say, "no just a little farther out, please." In the process of doing this, your right middle finger places the ash mark on the spectator's left palm, which they can't see because their hand is palm down. Be sure to release their hands quickly. If this is done casual, off hand manner the spectator will never remember you touched their hand.
Step 2: What comes next is the most important part of the trick. It's where you build this simple little stunt into a miracle class. Tell the person to close their left fist and keep it closed tight. Next take a cigarette and tap a little ash onto your own left palms. Say "watch." Slowly, rub the ash into your palm. Ask them if they can see it. Keep rubbing until it's gone. "The ash is no longer here, but it's not gone. Would you open your hand please?" The person does and there on the center of their palm is the ash mark.