Slinky Magic

Vello explains his idea for a series of holograms.

In the first one, myself as a boy. I'm precociously clever. A poet.

Ridiculous! says David. You have an old face. You'll be lampooned by cartoonists.

Can it be done? demands Vello.

Sure it can, says Charley. These days anything is possible.

I've heard that before, says Vello. But sometimes my nose runs. How do you explain that?

What? says Charley.

He means there isn't a cure ..... begins David.

..... for the common cold, says Monsieur Lambert. How true.

Thank you, says David.

Yes, thank you, for finishing David's unnecessary explanation of my remark, says Vello. Well done Monsieur Lambert. Now, how will you make me thirteen again?

Ah....hmm, says Monsieur Lambert.

He had not spent all that long in the toilet, googling holograms, but there was a short video he watched, in which a man made a convincing jellyfish hologram using his cell phone.

I shall need a picture of you as a thirteen year old boy, says Monsieur Lambert. And a cell phone, a CD case and some sticky tape.

Charley snorts at the low tech nature of these requirements. And where would you find a CD case in this day and age?

I could get one from an elderly relative, says Khadija.

Very good, says Vello. You go and get it. Monsieur Lambert will explain what we do with it.

We make a template, says Monsieur Lambert. A triangle. We cut out four triangles from the plastic CD case. We stick them together with sticky tape, in the shape of a pyramid.

This is delightful, says Vello. See, David. He knows what to do. You need not have questioned his competence.

Monsieur Lambert ignores this. He continues:

We place the pyramid over the cell phone screen, and hey presto.

It is clear to even Vello that hey presto alone is inadequate. Is the phone on?  Whence comes the picture?

Khadija disappears to look for an elderly relative.

This is not going as well as anyone hoped, me included.

I wonder what Terence is doing?

He had five dollars to spend in Dubai Airport.

What did he end up buying?

If you think: snake socks with forty eight rings on, then you do not know Terence.

Terence has bought a Flow Ring Arm Slinky Magic Bracelet.

And this magic bracelet is the best thing EVER.