Ken Evans, Magic Mentor

When I was 14, I started attending the magic club that was later named The Eugene Mysticians. One night, we decided to have an informal magic competition. Each magus would get up and perform within the general group performance. And the 7-8 of us with the private competition would vote on each with a score of 1-5 … (if I remember correctly. Someone correct me, if it was a different scoring system.)

At the end, Ken Evans got first place and I was a close second. And this college student took an interest in me. Even though he was five or six years older, I went to his house on campus, to practice magic, once a week. We magished. And we became good friends.

At Ken’s wedding above Lake Tahoe, years later, I was one of the only magicians present. Just Ken, Jim Steinmeyer and me. One night, we did a round robin, entertaining closest family and friends at the wedding.

And then … I lost touch with Ken. Ken Evans seemed to have fallen off the magic radar.

Sure, I heard rumor that he was working for a big magic company in Japan. I tried to track down my old buddy. No luck. Apparently, he had left Japan, but wasn’t in the U.S.

I forgot about the vanished magician for years.

Then, in 2003, when Lee (Asher) and I started collaborating, I heard mention of Jim Steinmeyer.

I asked Lee to ask Jim about Ken.

Eureka!

No, I mean, literally, Eureka. As in Eureka, California. Ken Evans and his wife from exotic lands opened the Banana Hut, Hawaiian Barbecue.

I got back in touch with Ken Evans, and have continued the correspondence for the last decade.