HOW DOES HE DO THAT?
Irving Fire Captain Balances
Stress of Firefighting with Fun of Magic
by Cecile Satin
STAFF WRITER
Friday Oct. 27, 2006

Flower Mound resident, Mica Calfee wears the expression of seriousness and responsibility that his position as Irving’s fire captain requires. But give him a deck of cards and the entertainer in Calfee surfaces before he is through shuffling the deck. His magician hands and a sassy showman style spring to life.

"I love to do tricks with everyday things that make you think." Calfee said. "I like to do card and coin tricks with people. That is where I really have fun."

The fun is not only his. Many laugh or stare in amazement, trying to figure how he replaced the dollar coin that they held tight in their palms with a quarter, or how he folded a playing card, then found a way to bend it the opposite way without touching it.

Like many boys, Calfee’s passion to be a firefighter grew in second grade from watching the show Emergency in the 1970’s. His passion for magic came a little later, in ninth grade, when he was introduced to Magicland, a store in downtown Dallas where he bought his first couple of magic tricks, Chinese sticks and cups and balls, for $2.

"After that, I started getting more complicated and sophisticated tricks," Calfee said, "And I attended the Texas Association of Magicians convention when I was a junior in high school." There, I learned more tricks and started performing for friends and small local events. It grew from there. I went to college and then to the military, and while stationed, they asked me to perform for the officer’s club. It grew and grew until I performed all over the United States."

While growing artistically, Calfee did not forget about his first vocation- saving lives. Calfee took emergency medical services classes in the military.

"I have been a firefighter since 1980,” Calfee said. " I always knew that it was what I wanted to do, be in rescue services. "Being a firefighter is the second best job on the planet. There is nothing like it, from the camaraderie and the life as a firefighter itself. There is nothing like getting there and making a difference."

Calfee said that even on duty, he can’t leave his magic at the station door." I do tricks for the guys, especially for the new ones,” Calfee said. In 26 years of service, Calfee is not only recognized by his peers for his entertainment and illusionist talents, but also for outstanding service as a firefighter.

As a captain, he has contributed to fire instruction and manuals. He was honored for being one of the first paramedics on the scene of the Delta Flight 191 crash at Dallas/ Ft. Worth Airport in 1985, which killed many on board. "The entire time we walked (toward the wreckage) my eyes saw things that challenged my brain to make sense of," Calfee recalled. "I had no idea what to expect…as I approached the center of the crash area, I saw people walking. Some were injured, some seemed to be from the terminal and businesses in the area. I looked around and and saw many people dealing with bodies. People on backboards, people being helped to walk by others…The first thing that came to my mind was: locate patients…I looked to my right and left…some patients were covered in blood with broken limbs. Others, still alive, were burned beyond recognition."

The harsh reality and painful memories of his job contrast with the smiles and applause that he receives while performing on stage. On one occasion, Calfee’s two lives as performer and firefighter merged. He portrayed a paramedic in a movie, Fire and Rain, about the Flight 191 crash.

"It is a fascinating kind of life" to be a firefighter and a magician, Calfee said.

On the 20th anniversary of the crash, ABC reunited Calfee with one of the crash victim’s husbands, who thanked Calfee for his help on the scene. He also has been featured on Channel 8’s Why Guy segment for his knowledge on magic.

"There is nothing more addictive and exhilarating than applause. "Calfee said. "Even if you are not feeling well, you just have to walk on stage and get that first applause and you are well. It heals you for hours at a time. Audiences fill you up with so much energy. Being a magician also allows you to live the life of a richer person than you are. I get to do things and see things that people much richer than me get to enjoy."

With his wife, Judy, the couple now perform bigger shows with more complex tricks. They recently performed at Six Flags Over Texas and on cruise ships. They are now well known in the magic industry, but Calfee said that because of his commitment to the fire department, he turns down a lot of tour opportunities. His job as firefighter comes first, he said.

When it comes to magic, Calfee’s favorite trick is a simple one that he named the "Amazing Giant Prediction Card." "Adults love it because I sneak up on them." Calfee said. In the trick, someone is asked to pick a card (say the 4 of clubs) and put it back into the deck. While shuffling the cards, Calfee puts a giant card on the table and says, “Wouldn't it be great if that card turned out to be the one you picked?" When he flips the giant card, every card in the deck is printed very small on it. He then flips it over again, and it shows the 4 of clubs. Calfee said he is accustomed to seeing peoples jaws drop at the sight of the card they picked, and he still gets a kick out of it every time.

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