Exploding Button Trick

Strolling past the ramen joint with a five-kuai spring in my step, I felt a sudden and violent percussion emanating from my chest and instinctively hit the floor. After I'd clambered back up to my feet, I scanned the horizon for a gunman, finding none. I checked my coat for an entry wound and saw that my "Soy Amada" button was missing. Glancing up, I noticed that the people in the ramen joint were staring at me more intently than usual. Then I saw the noodle man rushing towards me. He handed me my button, which had shot over the heads of several customers, banked off the back wall, and landed in a vat of MSG. Too pressurized, I guess. I thanked the noodle man, whistled a little ditty to myself as I stuffed the greasy button in my breast pocket, and stole into the night. As though my reputation around these parts weren't mythical enough. I used to be a regular at the ramen place, but I doubt I can ever go back. I mean, what kind of vaudeville shit is that?