As a boy I was fascinated by claims of paranormal phenomena—mental telepathy, precognition, clairvoyance, and the like. I would spend inordinate amounts of time conducting “experiments” in which I would try to guess the suit of each of the cards in a deck to see if I could score above a chance level. I apparently lack paranormal powers. When I was 12 or 13 I recall watching a TV “documentary” concerning a boy about my age who supposedly could make physical objects move just with his mind. He was accused of various mischievous acts, such as knocking objects off shelves or turning a cupboard upside down. According to the show, even though the boy was responsible for the paranormal activity, he was doing it subconsciously rather than intentionally. I was so frightened by the show that I had a hard time falling asleep afterward, concerned that I might inadvertently possess the same paranormal abilities. Not to worry, as it turned out.
