Sophomore Hayden Partain practices his favorite tricks in the library using his deck of cards. He has followed magic as a passion ever since seeing a street magician while living in Savannah. “Just having a deck of cards relaxes me and makes me feel calm.” Partain said. Photo by Zoe Peterson.
The ODYSSEY Media Group will provide viewers with stylized profiles that center on people in the Athens community telling their own stories.
Clarke Central High School sophomore Hayden Partain expresses his personality through his love for magic.
What’s in a good card trick?
Theres the same amount of cards in every deck of cards, 52 and two jokers. What makes a good card trick is not the deck.
It’s who’s performing the magic that makes it special.
For many Clarke Central High School students, that person is Hayden Partain or as he’s more commonly known, “Magic Guy”.
To many he’s more characterized by the sound of the deck shuffling than who he is.
But who he is or where he came from, is the most interesting part about the Magic Guy and also his most well-kept secret.
Because when everyone rapidly gathers around to see his sleight of hand tricks and magic, they do not realize that through his magic tricks he is trying to express himself.
He is trying to tell a story and deliver a message of love and kindness through his tricks.
Partain shuffles through his worn deck, looking for the audience members’ card. It is these moments of anticipation that Partain enjoys the most. “I really like telling a story with my magic and that all finishes at the last part of the trick,” Partain said. Photo by Zoe Peterson.
A message he latched on to as he struggled with anger management during his time in the Division of Family and Children Services or DFCS.
Those who just look at the cards will never know how much the Magic Guy cares about his little sister and how he would do anything for her or his family.
They will never know how he thinks that finding his passion for magic, saved his life and put him on the right track.
That is the secret behind each of Partain’s subtle and impressive magic tricks.
And maybe that’s the greatest trick of them all.
