I was booked to perform “Walk-Around” close-up magic for a vending company. I wasn’t aware then that some vending companies were fronts for the mob. I arrived at a shabby warehouse convinced I had the wrong address, but an imposing tall man met me at the door and ushered me in. I noticed immediately that the people scattered about were all men in suits (no ties). I was dressed in a tuxedo with a red bow tie (my standard attire from Magic Island) and felt like a dork.

The tall man said, “I need you to entertain the boss” and ushered me into an office where there were about five men standing and an older Italian man sitting behind a desk. He looked like someone out of a movie with his rings and gold chain. As I began my act, I noticed he was wearing a watch I could easily steal, so I made a mental note of it.

Once I had them laughing and having fun, I moved closer, secretly stole his watch from his wrist and slipped it into my pocket. At the end of the magic routine, I told him I had a special gift for him and dramatically held up his diamond-encrusted watch for all to see.

He didn’t move. Silence. No smile, no laugh. Nothing. I looked around and the men in the room were silent, still, and all looking intently at the boss. For a moment I thought, “Oh Miller, you’ve made a terrible mistake.”

Then he started smiling… then laughing… and the rest of the room followed his lead and laughed too. He patted me on the back and didn’t seem to notice the sweat dripping down my neck.