I recall once in Santo Domingo there was this guy who had over a hundred people watching his magic act, which was pretty good.
After a while, he picked about 20 people out of the crowd, including me, and gave each one a tiny vial, which he told us to hold until it got warm. Then he started interviewing people. My vial never actually got warm. When he got to me, he told me that the vial told him that I would use the use of my right leg if I did not go through some ritual that he would perform the following day at an address he handed me He was very charismatic.
The next day I thought about seeing him but I figured that he was basically con man, and could not have any healing powers, so I got on a bus and left Santo Domingo, which I had planned to do all along.
I can understand how people can be really convincing. When anyone tells me to do something right away, because the opportunity will disappear if I don't, I never do anything.
A week later, I walked by the address, which was down a pretty dark alley.
I never had trouble with my leg. I sprained my other knee once, thirty years later.
The key to a good con job is to get people to act immediately out of some sort of desperation, I think.
