Bosch Pseudonymous - The Unbelievable Oliver and the Four Jokers

Is this your card?

It was not their card.

The twins, Bea and Teenie, short for Beatriz and Martina, were not impressed. They were even less impressed when the magician pulled another wrong card from the deck. Then another still...

Is this your card?

Not that one either. Uh-uh. Come on!

No. Nope. Nah. No way!

Thats from GO FISH! Thats a fish! *sigh*

Every card was wrong. Everything was wrong, really.

Oliver, our boy magician, was no wizard. He had no hat, no gloves, not even a wand. He was too small for his jacket, as well as for his ageeight last April. And he lacked the confidence youd expect from anyone truly astonishing.

A magician should at least be astonishing. Wouldnt you agree?

He made one last effort to startle and amaze.

Okay, is this your card? he said, holding up the four of diamonds again.

Yes! said Bea.

Maybe, said Teenie, who was having a little trouble paying attention. See, we forgot our card. So it could be our card.

Oliver covered his face with the few remaining cards in the deck.

Dont lie, Teenie! Bea said with a glare.

Im not lying. Im telling him the truth, Teenie insisted. We forgot his card. You were lying.

I lied to make him feel better. Dont you feel better, Oliver?

Oliver did not feel better, but it seemed unkind to say so. He tried to smile, unsuccessfully.

Maybe youre just not cut out to be a magician, said Teenie helpfully.

Oliver had only recently started dabbling in the magical arts, after borrowing a deck of cards from his cousin Spencer, who worked at the local magic shop. Several cards were missing from the deck, but it had all the main ones, Spencer had assured him. Anyway, you dont need a full deck for most tricks. Youll see, magic is easy.

Oliver was beginning to think his cousin had misled him.

Thank you for inviting me to your tea party, said Oliver. You said there was going to be cake.

If there was one thing that was going to make Oliver feel better, it was cake.

Youre welcome, Oliver, Bea replied. The cake is right in front of youits imaginary. Like the tea. Do you want to play Genius Fairies?

Oliver loved cake. All kinds of cake. Cupcake. Sponge cake. Pancake.

He even loved imaginary cake. Most days, it was the only sort of cake that his mother, who was a health food nut, would let him have.

He did not love Beas current favorite make-believe game, Genius Fairies: magical fairies who were good at math and science. Not Olivers strongest subjects.

Before he could refuse to play, Teenie chimed in: Frida doesnt want to play Genius Fairies. She wants to play Super Fairies. Super Fairies were good at running, sneaking, and acrobatics. Also not Olivers strongest subjects.

Her names not Frida. Bea pointed to the cat. Its Calico.

Frida!

Calico!

As the girls fought, Oliver checked the cats collar.

ACHOO!

In all the excitement, Oliver forgot that he was allergic to cats.

Oliver, did you get an invitation to Maddoxs party?

Oliver was relieved that they had changed the topic. But not so relieved when he realized what the new topic was.

Maddox, the richest kid at Nowonder Elementary, was turning nine that Saturday. His party was the talk of the third-grade class.

Um... it must have gotten lost in the mail, Oliver said. Its okay, I cant go anyway.

You have to gohe has a pool! Bea declared. Besides, if we dont go to the party, Maddox will think that we dont like him.

Wait. We dont have a present, said Bea. If we dont bring a present, then hell really know we dont like him.