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The Superman Sleight-of-Hand Proposal

The Superman Sleight-of-Hand Proposal

Remember in science class when you learned that, given enough time and pressure, coal will eventually turn into a diamond? Well, your teacher was way wrong about that (and probably a bunch of other stuff too). That’s not how that works at all. But science be damned, we all know that Superman can crush a lump of coal into a diamond with his super strength. Thanks to The Man of Steel, we’ve got a unique proposal idea for you.

By John Mihaly, Illustrations By Adam Stafford

Degree of Difficulty:

6 on a scale of 1 (Easy) to 10 (Expert)

What You'll Need:

1. The engagement ring
2. A lump of charcoal
3. Access to a magician (or YouTube)
4. Plenty of time to practice

Location:

At your next BBQ, bonfire, near any open non-gas burning flame

The Plan:

Since you’re not Kryptonian, your diamond isn’t coming from metric tons of pressure applied to a lump of coal, but rather from a slight-of-hand magic trick called a French Drop. And since anything French is inherently romantic, you’re already off to a good start. Most magicians or magic store workers can help you master the technique, and it requires no additional props. All it takes is two hands and lots of practice. There are plenty of videos online, like this one, that can show you how.

At your next barbeque—hopefully one you’ve planned just for your fiance-to-be—gather round the fire and start telling some stories about how you kindled your romance. In between flipping the meats—only flip once—grab a piece of charcoal (an unlit piece: remember you’re not actually Superman). Then with the quickness of Kal-El, launch into a speech about the coal turning into something beautiful when under pressure. She’s going to be keeping her eyes on you and the words coming out of your mouth, she’s going to be distracted.

Then, use your French Drop skills to switch the coal and the ring, and drop to one knee. Please resist the urge here to say, “Kneel before Zod!” Instead, surprise her with your proposal of marriage that’s worthy of a headline in The Daily Planet.