Telekinesis (mind over matter)

by The not-so amazing John
(Austin,TX)

Amazingly simple illusion:

Take a (drinking) straw, make sure it's round, not warped, so that it will roll easily. Place it in front of you on a table.

Hold your hands in the air, about six or eight inches away from the straw, fingers all pointed toward the straw to direct the mental energy. Your hands may tremble and shake as you focus all of the mental energy (and also distract the observer) that causes the straw to slowly roll away from you.

The gimmick: You are simply blowing gently at the straw to roll it across the table.

Part II: If you have a cohort on the other side of the table (and the observer is watching from the end of the table), you can mentally call the straw back to you. Your buddy simply blows on the straw from his direction, as you use hand gestures (to distract again), to mentally draw the straw back to you.

This is from the TV show: "The Mentalist" (I came up with the second part of the trick)