Smoke and Mirrors

... a catch phrase for deception, fraud, or some activity intentionally covered up.  The phrase stems from the  the work of magicians, who literally use smoke to perform illusive charms such as pulling a rabbit out of a hat.  Somehow, that temporary curtain of smoke dividing the moment when the hand goes into the empty top hat, from the moment when the hand pulls a rabbit out of that same top hat, keeps the audience forever guessing, "how on earth did he DO that?!"
Here is the story of a magician where Smoke and Mirrors becomes much more than a metaphor:

Count Schwartz-Atmen was a German who, from a very young age, longed to be a master of the craft of magic.  His obsession started when he was given a magic wand for his 3rd birthday.  He would wander the hills from morning until nightfall waving his magic wand, turning caterpillars into butterflies, and casting spells on everything from ants to Zwiebeln (onions).

The Count's parents were concerned that he didn't take interest in anything but magic, and so for his 7th birthday they bought him a radio.  The Count loved the gift - not so much for it's music, but for it's potential to help him sharpen his true passion.  Count spent hours mastering a technique whereby he could change the radio station without actually touching the radio.  And, although shunned by his peers for his unusual nature up until this age, he soon became popular for his ability to do "cool tricks".  Magic became a fad, and Count became a household name in his small town.

As we all know, fads fade, and as the fad of magic faded, so did Count's popularity.  He didn't mind so much though, because even though his friends had lost interest, he still had his true love:  magic.  When Count was 12 years old, he heard a song on the radio that he had been given for his 7th birthday.  The song was, "Do you Believe in Magic", sung by The Lovin' Spoonfuls from Lower Manhattan.  He knew, upon listening to that song, that it was his destiny to travel to New York, where he was convinced that his talent would take him far.

His obsession grew into a mastery of the craft of magic, unlike anyone else had ever seen;  and, when Count was 17 years of age, he left the German countryside for New York City.
As New York City is  a city-sized candy shop for any eccentric, so it was for Count Schwartz-Atmen.  He lived and breathed magic, even more than he had in Germany.  Everything in New York City inspired him, and he quickly escalated from street-corner magician, to one of the most popular venues to attend in the Big Apple.  He performed in theaters, at special televised holiday events, and at after parties for the rich and famous.

One illusion he became quite well known for was what he coined "Smoke in Mirrors".  It was an illusion where he used mirrors to deceive the viewer of where an object was - is that the object, or is it a reflection? He became quite good at it - so good in fact, that on several occasions, he nearly tricked himself!  Using fire as the object, he lit a candle, who's wick produced various layers of colored smoke: first red, then yellow, then blue, and various shades of grey.  The mirrors reflected flame and smoke, and while one color remained in the reflection of one mirror, a subsequent color would find it's way to in via the reflection of another mirror, creating a new color of smoke altogether.  Red and yellow formed orange; yellow and blue formed green; and the mixture of all of the colors became beautiful shades of silvery grey, sparkling from the many reflections of just one candle.

In the end, after an illustrious career, Count's claim to fame became his fate.  While performing his famous "smoke in mirrors" illusion, the tails of his magician-coat caught on fire.  This tailcoat, made of colorful synthetic materials, combusted into a rainbow of smoke, sending the audience into a awe-inspired frenzy.  The spectacle continued for several minutes - the colorful smoke in mirrors mixing to form other colors, the newly added rainbow of smoke and sparks, all combining to form shades of grey, sparkling in the illuminated flame of just one candle.  No one noticed, until it was too late, that the Count had become a victim of his own illusion.  He was found, unconscious, with pitiful tufts of purple smoke emanating occasionally from his mouth.  His body lay wedged between two mirrors, where a reflection of the stage door could be seen.

So, the lesson is this:  be careful when using candles!  Keep them up high and away from children, magicians, and pets.  Keep them at least 2 feet away from combustibles such as drapery, furniture, walls, and clothing (including coat-tails).  Blow them out before you leave the house, go to sleep, or even leave the room.  If you see an unattended lit candle - whether in a reflection or not - blow it out!  Candles are a leading cause of preventable home fires.  In case of any emergency, always call 911!