EYES IN THE BACK OF HIS HEAD?

BY DAN MILLER
(originally posted November 14, 2005)

The psychic secret of a WSMV co-worker has been revealed.

Whenever I approach the office (cubicle) where Scott Sutton manages the WSMV website, I witness a psychic ability that would amaze even the Amazing Kreskin.

Long before I'm anywhere near his line of sight, Scott will say something like, "Hi Dan, what can I do for you?"
And by the time I round the curve into his cubbyhole, he already has my blog up on the screen, since I'm usually there to fix an error in that day's essay.

Now, I assure you, Scott is surrounded by tall partitions.
There are no mirrors, no reflections, no security cameras, no way of seeing who's coming his way -- yet he knows.

I always ponder, "how could he possibly know it's me?"

And I'm not the only one.
He can call out the names of others as well, while they're still 20 or 30 feet from his view.

Just when I was ready to accept his unnatural powers, he revealed his secret.
And it's simple.... it all has to do with Scott's keen attunement, when it comes to the sounds around him.

Most of us -- Scott has discovered -- create a unique "sound" (other than our voices) as we move about.

For me, he says the jingling coins and keys in my pockets are a giveaway.
There's another person whose loud breathing gives him away every time.

Someone else wears a huge batch of keys on his belt, and Scott immediately knows his sound.
Some folks, he says, have a habitual little cough, or perhaps they hum or whistle.

And many of us -- though we might not know it -- have signature squeaky shoes.

Scott says there's one particular person (a middle management type I won't name) who moves with sort of a spooky, quiet "presence" that permeates the room. (I'm staying out of this person's way!)

Scott says he can tell when the big guy (general manager) approaches because all the horseplay and small talk seems to stop, and everybody nearby gets real busy and overly dedicated to the job at hand.

This is an interesting talent Scott has developed.
He says it's all a matter of working silently and alone, in a blind area, and tuning in to all the sounds around him.

Now, I must confess, in my case it's really not so magical.
Most every time we're out in public, my wife reminds me to stop rattling the keys and coins in my pockets.
(One of only a very few of annoying habits I have)

By the way, if you want to see and know more about Houdini, uh, Scott, I wrote one of these essays about him last year.
CLICK RIGHT HERE ... and Scott (who programs the WSMV website) will magically take you there.

You're also invited to click on and visit the WSMV station website .

_________________________________________