A few weeks ago I spotted a dummy in a shop window in downtown Wimberley, Texas.
Not a dummy as in ‘stupid person’ but a ventriloquist dummy.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a ventriloquist. It shouldn’t be too much of a surprise because I also wanted to be a magician, and they’re kinda sorta in the same field.
Anyway, seeing the dummy in the window awakened my childhood dream. Every time I would drive by the shop, I would peek to see if the dummy moved, or waved, or winked, or in any way signalled “Come get me, Joe.”
Nothing.
So I mentioned it to Nerissa, saying it would be a great gift for somebody.
She got the hint but she’s no fan of “dolls”. Apparently she’s seen one to many horror movies as a child where dolls came to life and chased you to your death.
So I forgot about the dummy, at least during the day. But every time I went through town, I looked for it.
Two days ago I drove through town, looked for it, and it wasn’t there.
I screamed, “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
I had no idea how much I really wanted that dummy until I didn’t see it in the window.
I accepted my loss and went on with my life.
But something interesting happened yesterday.
My dear friend Mark Ryan — the man behind the www.subliminalmanifestation.com DVDs — came to visit.
We were eating at a deli in Wimberley. We were wondering what we were going to do for the day when I remembered the dummy.
“Mark, I have a crazy request,” I began.
Mark leaned forward as I told him the whole story.
“I saw a ventriloquist dummy in the window across the street and I want to see if it’s still there.”
Mark stunned me by instantly saying, “I not only want to see if it’s there, I want to buy it for you!”
Buy it for me?
Turns out he had been racking his brain trying to come up with a gift for me. When he saw the light in my eyes as I described wanting to be a ventriloquist as a kid, he saw his opportunity.
“I don’t care what it costs,” he said. “I’m getting it for you.”
How many friends would instantly jump at the chance to give you a childhood gift?
How many people would you do that for?
We wondered across the street, went inside, and found the dummy. He was still there, just hidden behind some clothes and purses.
The young lass working the store didn’t know if the dummy was for sale. Apparently she had never gotten this request before. She had to make two phone calls to locate the store owner (in Arizonia), ask if it could be sold (it could), and to get a price on it ($150).
Turns out the dummy is a collectible from 1962. His name is Danny. (He says hi.)
When I brought him home, I sat him on the kitchen counter. I then positioned him in such a way that as Nerissa came around the corner when she got home later, she’d see eye to eye with Danny.
I thought it was funny.
So did Mark.
Nerissa didn’t.
(Danny didn’t comment.)
I don’t know what your childhood dreams were, but there’s power in reawakening them…if only to complete a story begun long, long ago.
Ao Akua,
Joe
www.mrfire.com
PS — Danny wants to say something: “If I could type I’d say more but remember, underwear is best worn on the outside and not taken off for a week. Pass it on.”
Note: The picture of Danny was taken with my new Blackberry Curve phone www.blackberrycurve.com, which went on the market yesterday and arrived here today. Danny likes it. So do I. I bet it’s better than the iphone www.apple.com/iphone/. We’ll see.
15 Comments
Joe,
What a wonderful story! Tell Mark I said hello. And bring Danny with you Sunday, July 1. I’m singing for my lunch at Trinity Lutheran! LOL!
Regards,
Ernest O’Dell
Blanco, TX
That Mark Ryan is a good guy. 🙂
Danny looks like classic! What fun!
oh golly am I ever with Nerissa on this one. Creepy! so creepy I had to scroll so that even just the picture of danny was not on my screen so I could read the rest of the post.
and on that note danny just told me he most definitely does NOT want to visit vegas!
🙂
fdc
Hi Joe
+ Danny too,
My online weight loss idea which flourished and garnered world wide publicity for the first year, laid pretty much dormant [ kinda like Danny until you have now brought him to life again] for a couple of years until I started reading applying what you’ve shared in your books.
And recently ever since I read “Hypnotic Writing” and “Buying Trances”, what you’ve shared with me in those two books has set off a wave of new global publicity.
As in…
A simple “Hypnotic” blog posting I wrote on May 14 caused a writer for the New York Times to do a story about a stir I caused for a major publisher. Search Jay Jacobs in the NY Times online to see the story, it’s in the business section.
Tomorrow morning I’m part of a 3 minute segement on men’s dieting with Dr. Beck and Don Shula on The TODAY Show, weekend edition.
http://mypetfat.typepad.com/mypetfat/
And on Friday, I approved the copy for a feature article that was written about my product “mypetfat” for distribution to 1.5 million readers in Europe and that’s just a few of the pieces of publicity that have opened up for me after I have been doing my best to apply what you teach in “Hypnotic Writing” + “Buying Trances”.
EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ and APPLY what you share in those books along with the other books I’ve read from you, and for what it’s worth, this is the order I’ve read them in.
“The Attractor Factor”
“The eCode”
“There’s A Customer Born Every Minute”
“Hypnotic Writing”
and
“Buying Trances”
Just a thought…I have a feeling that a cover shot of Danny and a pithy book cover title just might be in your future. Something very hypnotic + trancy about his look, just a thought…
This Blog just gets better.
Glad you got one of your childhood dreams Joe.
Guess you owe Nerissa one big prezzy.
Pete.
Did you know Danny came with a RECORD ALBUM that trains you/Danny to talk? I had a Danny doll and Album when I was a child and Loved HIM! I don’t have either anymore but I remember them well! I looked on Ebay but didn’t see one listed right now but maybe one will list soon or someone will have one they could send you! =) I would send you mine if I still had it =( Thanks for sharing that story with us all!
Jimmy Nelson’s Instant Ventriloquism and Ventriloquism for the Beginner is the name of the album for the Danny O’Day Doll. I hope that Helps! =)
Wait !! I just found you the Album ! I bought it just now and it’s on its way to you !!! I hope you enjoy it!
Okay – I am laughing SOOOOO HARD at this post! I have been a follower of your blog for a long time, but this post was so good, I read it out loud to my partner and we both laughed and laughed and laughed. THANK YOU! (pass it on – HA HA HA HA HA HA – SERIOUSLY – HILARIOUS!) LOVE AND LIGHT TO YOU!
Greetings Joe, Mark is a true friend, but so is Nerissa for sharing her fears and letting them go. Danny appears to have become your alterego, hum and a great marketing device. Yor genius is being manifested again Joe. Have a great weekend.
And a Ho’oponopono I love you. Ellen
Hey Joe,
Has Francine met Danny yet?
Poor Nerissa….but she feels like Chucky just moved in
LOL
First, the hypnotic writing monkey….
(what’s his name? Chavez?)
Now, Danny?
I just had a great conversation with a master-mind member where we discussed “getting in character” and how assuming a new personality can free oneself from one’s current limitations…
I’m curious to see what Danny does for you….
All the best,
David
Can you ask Mark to start his podcast again, it has been too long off the airwaves. (Pass it on)
Loved hearing the Danny story. Don’t know why I thought of this, but when your new Blackberry Curve gets eventually shelved, would you be replacing it with an iPhone. Time will tell.
Joe-
Ventriloquist humor can be hilarious, (too often it is not). However, I’m not a fan of ‘human-like’ things on my shelves either. It is not a fear, just a preference.
Pssst! Nerissa-They sell termites on http://www.wardsci.com. 🙄