Jason sat alone in the asylums common room, playing solitare. The rest of the crazies had been medicated and sent to bed. Their sleep inducing drugs have little effect on him, so the staff doesn't even bother. They let him stay up late alone, as long as he stays in sight of the staff. The common room was in sight.
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A noise draws his attention, it wasn't loud, but it pierced the silence. It was a floor buffer and made a whizzing sound like a fan. Jason watched as the man steered it slowly across the floor. He lays down a card, trying to pay attention to his game. The man steered the machine closer. Jason's eyes fall on the two discarded Joker cards on the table. The jingle jangle of the man's keyring caused Jason to look up again. He saw the metal ring with about a dozen assorted keys dangling from it.
Jason continued his game until the man and buffer were in front of the table he sat at. Jason smiles at the man who gives him a head nod. He continues to slowly buff around the table. Jason collects the deck of cards and shuffles it.
"How bout a game of poker?" Jason asks the man.
"Sorry, ain't got the time tonight. I gotta get these floors done by morning," the man politely rejects.
"Ah yes, a working man. How selfish of me," he says and continues to shuffle the cards. He had picked up some fancy shuffling from J.
The man is impressed and can't help but watch as Jason dazzles him with some trick shuffeling. "Hey, you ain't too bad," the man can't help but acknowledge the skill Jason presented.
"Well, with a name like Joker I'm kinda obligated to be handy with a deck of cards, wouldn't you say?" Jason stretches them across the table and shifts them the opposite direction with a single card. "Say, would you like to see a card trick?" Jason smiles, "I won't keep you long."
The man smiles and switches off the buffer. "Sure, I have time for one trick I guess."
Jason holds the cards out. "I'm gonna flip through the deck and I want you to pick a card, any card that catches your eye." Jason takes his thumb and flashes the cards at the man. "Did you pick one?"
"Yep," the man nods with a smile.
Jason begins shuffeling the deck again. He finally stops and fans the cards out on the table, face up. "Do you see your card?" Jason motions at the cards.
The man's eyes scan across the cards, "Mmmmm, nope, sure don't."
"Really?" Jason asks and seems surprised, "Did I drop it?" He asks and looks on the floor. "Where did I put it?" He looks under the table. "Oh wait," he holds up his index finger, "I remember where I put it." He reaches out to the man's pocket and slides in his finger. He pulls it out with a card beneath it. "Is that your card?" Jason smiles and lays the card on the table.
"Yes! How'd you do that?" The man gleams.
"Ah, magicians never reveal their secrets," Jason leans back in his seat and shuffles the cards.
