When leaning against a lamppost next to the fountain in Washington Square Park, Josh Azar looks like any other CAS junior. But what passersby might not realize is that Azar also performs as a magician. While a magician never reveals his secrets, Azar gave a glimpse into his life by opening up his backpack to reveal some objects that may seem unusual to those unversed in magic.
Azar uses three dice to perform some of his magic tricks. Magic has been one of his favorite hobbies for years now, and he is always ready to perform a trick or illusion, whether with dice, coins, a deck of cards or whatever he has on hand. Azar frequents a multitude of magic shops and is regularly learning new tricks and perfecting his skills. He has a very large repertoire of tricks and can easily show one to anyone who asks.
Hacky Sack
Aside from hauling around schoolwork, Josh carries the knick-knacks of his general interest on a daily basis, just in case he needs a break from the monotony of classes. The first thing he pulled out of the front pocket of his backpack was a Hacky Sack. When asked if he kicked the Hacky Sack around with any specific group of people, he responded that there was no one in particular.
“I just carry it around in case I get a good combination of a nice day and some free time,” Azar said. Both are hard to find simultaneously these days, now that classes have begun, but Azar remains hopeful.
Foreign Language Books
Like many the students walking around campus, Azar lugs around several textbooks and notebooks. As an English major, he has his fair share of English books. But his interest in language does not stop there — he has a Spanish-English dictionary and an Irish textbook in the main pocket of his bag.
Bent Coin
As an avid member of the magic community, Azar has many friends who also perform tricks of their own. This coin is a symbol of that — a fellow magician was able to bend the coin. Azar is always learning new tricks from others in an effort to expand his magical horizons.
A version of this article appeared in the Monday, Sept. 30 print edition. Allison Collins is a contributing writer. Email her at [email protected].