"Ah! I love skeptics," he says fondly, shuffling the card back into the deck. "I feel it makes me feel like I can't slack off and get sloppy. I appreciate having a little something to prove."

When he's done shuffling, he spreads the cards over the tabletop, face-up in a row.

"Now, my dear, would you be so kind as to extend your hand and stick out your pointer-finger?"