“What is the disease which manifests itself in an inability to leave a party--any party at all--until it is all over and the lightsare being put out?... I suppose that part of this mania for staying is due to a fear that, if I go, something good will happen and I'll miss it. Somebody might do card tricks, or shoot somebody else.” IfsMightHappensPartyMissingDiseaseCuriosityDuesTricksCardsStayingInabilityGood WillManiaCard Tricks Author:Robert Benchley
“Short stories amount for the most part to parlour tricks, party favours with built-in snappers, gadgets for including recognition and reversals” StoriesPartyAmountBuiltIncludingTricksRecognitionShort StoryFavourGadgetsReversal Author:Howard Nemerov