Diobo chose to be my student many years ago in Barcelona. I met him by his real name Maciek Musialik. We shared a pitch on Las Ramblas, with Antonio Labella, and Diogo Alvares, all under our master Istvan.
Istvan ran a tight ship, and we all loved him, and we were all very good friends. These were some of the happiest days of my life, and I know, because I am an old man. So it broke my heart, the day Antonio called me, and told me Maciek was dead.
Maciek was the most unique street character I had ever seen. Even his stage name was unusual, DIOBO. He told me once, he chose his stage-name, as a twist, off Diogo Alvares' first name.
His strange Act began with a cigarette moving around on the ground, as if possessed, then it would levitate up to his mouth. And when he took it out, it began to appear and vanish in his hands, until it just vanished all together.
This was all compounded by his very mysterious appearance. His clothes were dark and rugged, and tight fitting. He wore a medieval hood, and moved like an insect. He created an instant crowd.
A very bizarre act, at one point a wine glass sitting on the ground filled itself with smoke. Things vanished and appeared in peoples clothing. Small animals seemed to appear and vanish at his command.
A scrap of paper was found on the ground, and wet in a puddle, and balled up. It was placed in a wine glass and swirled until it grew into an egg. When it was cracked open on the glass, a mouse poured out.
All of this, without a word spoken.
He was tall, slender, and Nordic looking. His strange moods and theatrics seemed to attract women, which of course brought men. He was not a safe Magician, he dealt in the experimental and the bizarre. A very polished experienced full timer. He lived well and sometimes dangerously.
He didn't worry about cops, even working in forbidden zones, because his show was Rambo.
He walked up, did his bit, collected, and moved on, unless he could milk the pitch. He had a small rig, no amp, and an uncanny street smarts at all times.
This is not to say he was not capable of doing circle shows, I saw him do many. In fact, in some countries, that's what he was famous for.
I've seen him work with a borrowed amp, to music, which made him seem like a big expensive act, creating huge crowds, enthralled in what he was doing.
Where he excelled, was in creativity, always doing effects almost never seen, on the street.
A real worker, a genius.
A MAN.
That is what we lost Ladies and Gentlemen, but I lost more, a lot more.
He was my student, and the triumph of our Artist Guild! He proved that we are not merely craftsmen, but that we are true Artists and that Art itself is divine. He proved this over and over again, in his humility, his words, his dedication, his loyalty, and in his character as a Man. Few of us in our ilk have done that. I feel humbled and even shamed that I could not do more for him, or even reach his stature as a Gentleman Magician. May God have mercy on his soul. In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.
Amen.
Goodbye Maciek, for now.
I break my wand for you.
I would urge the reader to look him up on youtube and see all the incredible routines he created.
This article is an excerpt from the book I dedicated to him and Mark Beltran called The Noble Vagrant.
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Jimmy.
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