Selling Magic 4

I do not buy any of Darryl’s products.

I can really hold a grudge. Some might say I am a stubborn S.O.B. and they might be right. But the first and only time I met Darryl Martinez, he was a jerk.

Now, I can certainly look at the work Darryl has accomplished and agree that he is a talented magician. I will not debate that I have read many stories about him were he doesn’t seem like a jerk. So maybe this was a one-time problem, but I doubt it. Besides, how often does a magic magazine give you get the real story about one of their advertisers anyway? (I am speaking about all of our magazines, not one in particular.)

A few years ago, I went to see Darryl lecture at a local magic shop. This would be my first time to see him and I was eager because he has a sort of “legendary” status among magicians.

I paid my money, stood in back, as I usually do, and witnessed this conversation before the actual lecture started.

Darryl (to someone in the front row): So do you have my tapes?

Front row magic-geek: Sure I do, I have them all.

Darryl: Well, I have the new ones.

Front row magic-geek: I have those, too.

Darryl: The new ones? How? Where did you get them?

Front row magic-geek: I bought them from Bob, (the guy sponsoring the lecture), as soon as they came out.

Darryl: What? This is ridiculous! I came here to sell stuff. I gave up a well-paying gig to come here and...(sputtering) Bob...Bob...What are you doing selling him my tapes? I came here to sell this stuff. Why else would I come here? The conversation continued like this for a few more minutes.

Later, still before the lecture, Bob made the mistake of asking Darryl if he would take a picture with the group of magicians that paid to see him lecture to which he replied, “No. No, I’d rather not..” Shook his head, “NO”. The room is not big enough to hold this guy's ego.

I didn’t want to screw Bob or I would have asked for my money back. I stayed for the lecture, stone faced and contemplating beating the shit out of Darryl. (I am still thinking about it.)

How could he throw such a tantrum, before his lecture, in front of everyone? He just stopped short of stomping his feet and holding his breath. How could he be so mad that someone bought his tapes? He should be happy someone bought his tapes. How much more profit does he need to make? Does that one set of tapes make that much of a difference?

There are two postscripts to this story:

1) I cannot believe anyone bought anything from this douche bag during the break.

2) The next day Darryl called and apologized, not for his behavior, but because how he acted would be all over the internet. SO, you are not sorry you acted like a dick, but you are sorry other people will find out about it. Nice Guy.

Now, your experience with Darryl may be very different and that is fine by me.

But, I will never buy a product from Darryl.

Now, what have we learned from this?