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“Well, hello,” a forty-so hairline, pencil ut said as she entered “I hope you’re a groupie”

“No, I’m NYPD,” she said and flashed her shield “And you need better couys?”

A thin man in his twenties spoke up “We’re the close-up perfor intermission”

“Yes, I’m Tony Chiano,” the third man said as he did a rather nice waterfall shuffle, the cards flowing effortlessly from one hand to the other in a beautiful flow

“And how did you gentle from man to man

“Side door in the audience,” Tony answered

“Yeah, but if we’re late,” pencil mustache answered, “there’s a door at the end of this hall”

“Thank you,” Pro said “Break a wand”

Pro heard Tony ask, “How did she know that expression?” as she went out

She went to the end of the hall, and just as “pencil mustache” had described, there was a black painted door she hadn’t seen until she drew near it It had a crash bar, and she checked to make sure it was secured She realized the door could only be opened by someone on the inside

She returned to Dressing Rooht, Mister Shaut?”

He was dressed in a forlanced to the door “Everything’s fine Did you see if the guys working intermission are here?”

“Yeah, they’re all in Dressing Roo close-up during the intermission?”

“Yeah, it’s whatto end We’ve become a New York institution” He then paused and looked at Pro for a moment, then blurted, “But ants to live in an institution?” He then hooted at his own joke with a big, boisterous laugh “Sorry,” he said as he calmed down, “that’s a joke I use in my show”

Pro nodded, now concerned that the entire evening would be filled with sophomoric humor