Chapter 16: The magical secret

I clap my hands together. “Okay,” I say. “I’ll show you. We’ve been chatting back and forth for a little while now, right?”

“Yes.”

I stand up, walk down the length of the stage. I look out at the audience, establishing more eye contact. Then I walk back to where I was sitting and lean against the stage. I cough. Then I look back at the old woman and I smile. “Just like that,” I say. “If you were writing what just happened, you might describe everything that I just did. That’ll cover a pause of almost a minute. It really drags out, and without ever having to say that there was a pause.”

She nods, smiling.

*