This is similar to Radio's balloon trick. Instead of a balloon I use an artificial flower with the stem put into a drinking straw. I hold onto the flower and just a little bit of the top of the straw. I offer it to someone- with a little speech about how deserving they are or something similar.... they reach out for the flower in the straw and at the same time, I pull out the flower and they are left holding the straw. People look quizzically at the straw...like What Just Happened?...and I grin and show them I have the flower and then quickly walk off to the sound of laughter.
