In the 1960s, Simon Aronson – well-known Chicago amateur card man, mentalist, and influential memorized deck creator – gave John an idea for a telephone book test. John tackled the project with his typical energy and determination, and not only created the necessary props, but developed a routine that he would go on to use for more than a decade in trade shows, on stage, and on television (where he performed it on The Merv Griffin Show).