Going Mental
“I want you to think of a number between one and ten. Don’t say it aloud.”
“Okay.”
“Now I want you to multiply that number by nine.”
“Ugh. Okay.”
“Did you get a two-digit number?”
“Hold on. Let me check with my phone.”
“…”
“Yes.”
“Good. I want you to add the first digit of that number to the second digit.”
“So, like-”
“If your number is fifteen, you would add one to five and get six.”
“Oh. Right.”
“You have a new number, right?”
“Right.”
“Okay, I want you to subtract five from that number.”
“Subtract five.”
“You got a new number, right?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, now I want you to assign that number to a correlating letter of the alphabet.”
“Like, how?”
“Okay, one is A, two is B, three is C, four is D, etc. If your number were six, you would now have the letter F.”
“Got it.”
“You’ve got your letter?”
“Yes.”
“Now I want you to think of a country that starts with that letter.”
“Okay. I can’t think of one.”
“Take your time.”
“I can think of a state. A little state.”
“Okay, go with that. Remember that state.”
“Okay.”
“Now go the next letter of the alphabet. If you had F before, now you have G, right?”
“Right.”
“Now think of an animal that begins with that letter.”
“Done.”
“Think about that animal’s color.”
“Done.”
“You are thinking about grey elephants in Delaware.”
“Yes! Now you hafta help me find my missing sister.”