How dd I get into this? I wondered as I sat in a cold, pitch dark, cramped, box of a room. This isn't how I saw my evening going.
Earlier I had been so excited about my evening's plans. My friends Josie, Kelly and I were going out on the town. Our plans were to head out to the casino in nearby Dover, Delaware, have some dinner, play the slots, and see a show. I'd been hoping for the Chippendale Dancers, but the only show that night was the Amazing Oscar.
As the lights went down and the driving beat of the music began to thrum through the theater, Oscar made his entrance, and all I could think was WOW! He was tall, at least feet, with dark hair, and the prerequisite hipster beard and mustache. He was rocking his tuxedo and obviously worked out because his muscles rippled beneath his clothes. He had a big smile and an easy laugh as he launched into his first card trick, working the crowd and asking for volunteers.
I began daydreaming about the kids Oscar and I could have together. They were tiny perfect children who looked just like Oscar. I was smiling to myself, completely oblivious to what was going on on stage when Josie gasped.
"He's coming this way!"
Tearing myself out from my daydream, I looked up and there was Oscar, standing in the aisle next to our seats and holding out his hand.
"Hi! I need some assistance on the stage. What's your name?" His blue eyes twinkled knowingly at me as if he knew what I had been dreaming about.
"Naomi," I whispered, putting my hand in his large, warm palm.
"Naomi," he said as he led me up the stairs to the stage, "Thanks for helping me out with my next trick. Welcome Naomi to the stage everyone."
I heard applause, but it sounded way off in the distance over the pounding of my heartbeat.. I could faintly hear Josie and Kelly hooting and calling their encouragement to me.
"I'm going to make Naomi disappear, ladies and gentlemen, but don't worry, I'll bring her back...eventually," Oscar laughed. "Naomi. please step into this wardrobe which my assistants have brought onto the stage."
The wardrobe was red and black, rolled on wheels, and had two doors which Oscar opened. He spun the wardrobe around several times, knocking on the thin wooden walls and the top and bottom. When he stopped spinning the wardrobe, he helped me step in and then closed the doors.
He spun me around, and I could hear Oscar talking, spinning his magic tales across the audience in his deep voice. He opened one door, and I waved cheekily to the audience. Then Oscar closed the door and the wardrobe stopped moving. He tapped the box once and a trapdoor opened in the bottom of the wardrobe. He tapped the box again and another trapdoor opened in the stage floor.
Knowing what I had to do, I shimmed through the openings and into the cold, dark room under the stage. The trapdoors slid shut.
I could hear Oscar talking, but his voice was muffled through the floor of the stage. I heard the gasp of the crowd when he opened the wardrobe and I wasn't there. I could hear the wheels of the wardrobe rolling. He must have opened the wardrobe again because Oscar made a joke about losing me that I couldn't really hear, but the laughter from the audience was loud..
The wheels were rolling again and then they stopped over my head. Both trapdoors popped open, and I climbed up into the wardrobe. Minutes later the stage lights were blinding me as Oscar opened the doors and offered me his hand, helping me out of the wardrobe as the audience applauded.
I gave a little bow and started to pull away from Oscar to retreat from the stage, but his hand held mine tightly.
"Let's try one more magic trick, shall we? I'm going to ask Naomi out on a date after the show tonight. If there is any real magic in the theater tonight, she'll say yes," Oscar grinned at me.
"Do you ask all your volunteers out on dates after the show?" I asked while trying not to scream yes, yes, yes.
Oscar grinned even bigger, "I must call fifteen people per show up onto the stage, and you are the very first one I have asked on a date. Come on audience, help me out. If you think Naomi should go on a date with me, let me hear it."
The audience cheered and applauded, and I could hear Kelly and Josie yelling the loudest.
"I think the audience has spoken. Naomi?"
"Sure, Oscar. I mean you brought me back after making me disappear, so I guess I owe you anyway." I tried to sound sassy, and I smiled right into his eyes even though my heart was pounding and my palms were clammy..
"You heard it ladies and gentlemen! She said yes! Let's get this show going, so I can take Naomi out," he twirled me around once and then let me go near the stairs leading back into the audience.
I floated back to my seat to watch the rest of the show and daydream about Amazing Oscar.
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