Wee Lad proves himself to be an able magician’s apprentice

What do you get if you put a few snakes, an owl, ten bouncy castles and a magic show in one space, on one afternoon, and invite the Lads? You get a family fun day that the Wee Lad declared was ‘ the best day ever’ of his almost eight years of life. And in addition to snake viewing, owl stroking, castle bouncing and ice cream eating, the Wee Lad proved himself to be a hit not only with animals and inanimate objects, but also, strangely, with humans as he excelled himself as a ‘magician’s assistant’ during a live show.

The Husband has secured paid employment with a major company in Dundalk who put on an annual ‘family fun day’ every year. We missed out on it last year because he only joined in July, so it was a most looked forward to event in our house for weeks. Before setting off to the indoor venue, the Husband took the Wee Lad aside and gave him The Talk, which included dire warnings about what would happen to him if he didn’t behave himself in front of work colleagues and bosses.

The Wee Lad, approaching the eighth year, has, no more than yourself, heard it all before and shrugged his shoulders, telling his father, tetchily: ‘Right dad, I heard you’. The Husband was worried the picture he’d painted of Armageddon was not sufficiently scary enough and was thinking up new ways of terrifying the youngest when we arrived.

Things got off to a good start when a Minion spotted the Wee Lad wearing his Minion’s tshirt and posed for a picture with him, before handing over a goodie bag. Happiness turned to delight as we went inside and surveyed the astounding vista - ten bouncy castles, an animal enclosure that had as diverse a species as snakes and gerbils as well as little car rides, giant board games and, surprisingly attracting the Wee Lad’s hard-tokeep attention, a magic show.

Magician Brian Daly probably didn’t know what he was letting himself in for, even though he does a lot of these events, no doubt. When he started his show, surrounded by much calmer children and parents sitting on bean bags, one Wee Lad marched himself right onto the mat at the magician’s feet and Mr Daly realised then his goose was probably cooked. With one eye on the big blondie chap at his feet, the magician started his show, seeking, as is normal, a volunteer.

Immediately, the Wee Lad was on his feet, roaring like a donkey, jumping from one foot to the other in a manner that meant there was no way Mr Daly was going to miss him. The magician could have taken an executive decision and picked someone a less mental, but he probably knew, in his own experience, that he could have been looking at the start of a one-man riot if the Wee Lad wasn’t picked so he made the sensible decision and chose him.

I stood, as far away from the front as possible, while the Husband and the Big Lad were making machinations towards the owl. I thought that once the Wee Lad turned around to face the front and saw the 50 faces in front of him, he would baulk and run off. His brother would have.

But the Wee Lad proved himself to be comedy gold, hammier than a pantomime dame, with more faces than the Albert clock and performing his assistant’s duties with such comedy timing that he had everyone, including an initially reluctant me, watching and laughing with him.

In fairness to Mr Daly, he was a wonderful performer, knowing just how far to push the Wee Lad, and seeming delighted when he responded with enthusiasm. The Wee Lad seemed to grow in confidence as his ten minute stint went on and by the time it was over, he took a few bows in front of an appreciative crowd.

When he came back over to me, he seemed really happy and I told him he was a brave fella to perform in front of people. He shrugged and thinking he was braver now, I asked if he wanted to go and hold a snake. ‘No way mum!’