The Thimble Catapult

A deck of playing cards left fanned across the coffee table was practically begging for a proper stage act. Naturally, merely drawing from the pile would be dreadfully boring. I seized a crisp Queen of Hearts, shoved its edge firmly into the seam between two heavy wooden coasters, and leaned all my weight against the card's glossy face until it bowed into a tight, quivering curve. When I slipped free—*snap!* The card whipped upright, launching a forgotten brass thimble whistling through the air until it clattered neatly into an empty teacup. The theatrical flair of it sent a shrill, breathless chuckle tumbling right out of me. Every good parlor trick needs a little punchline.