"Well, when my old man was pumping his first fortune out of some oil
wells in Oklahoma, we lived down there. Outside this little town, I
found a litter of flat stones that had young black-snakes under each
slab. I filled a pail with them and took them into town and dumped them
on the walk in front of the movie just as Theda Bara's matinee let out.
The best part was that no one had seen me do it. They just couldn't
understand how so many snakes got there. I learned how great it can be
to stand around quietly and watch people encounter the surprise that
you have prepared for them."