“Yes, I have tricks in my pocket. I have things up my sleeve. But I am the opposite of a stage magician. He gives you illusion that has the appearance of truth. I give you the truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion.”

Tom Wingfield of Tennessee Williams’ “The Glass Menagerie,” foretells the confusion that arises in mediation when the first move is unrealistic. Does this position speak to the true value or worth of the matter? Is it simply an illusion crafted as a negotiating tactic to hide the true intent?