I’ve been playing a Sweetheart A fife in front of a local super market. I stand off to one side,
beside the shopping carts, and play Irish tunes and Christmas carols. Two days ago I made
41 dollars in an hour.
Today I noticed a large, mean looking security guard was watching me closely. He was wearing a black jacket
marked ‘Security.’ 'Here it comes, I thought. Sure enough, he finally walked over, stood squarely in front of me
and said: ‘I have a question to ask you.’
OK, I said.
‘When you play that instrument I feel very peaceful inside and all the troubles of my life go away.
Why is that?’
‘I don’t know,’ I said, ‘but it makes me feel the same way.’
‘Also I notice that children who pass by think it’s, like, magic. Why?’
‘I guess they’ve never seen anything like it.’
‘Thanks for playing here,’ he said.
‘Merry Christmas,’ I said and reached out and shook his hand.
I have a not too dissimilar one; a couple weeks ago I went out busking on Grafton St. I don’t do this very often in fact very rarely but a friend of mine rang me asking if I wanted to. Well we did’'t get much money (about 21 Euro in 2 hours split between 3 people) but we enjoyed ourselves. Now this past Friday I went into my usual session in O’Donoghue’s pub and there is a junkie who often begs outside of it. Now, I don’t like to give out money to beggars on principle but I don’t mind giving out a cigarette because if someone is out begging they obviously can’t afford a pack for 8.50 Euro; so I have often given this guy cigarettes. So usually if I see him I will at least say hi in hopes that it might brighten his day to be treated like a human being instead of nothing; which is how a lot of people treat beggars in many cities. So this past week he asked me for a light and I gave him one. Then he says to me ‘I heard you playing on Grafton St the other day; it sounded lovely.’ Something along those lines; it is great to know that someone who is clearly down on their luck enjoyed the music I was playing. That is one of my main reasons for playing the music and is worth more to me than the 7 Euro I got for the actual busking.
I really enjoyed your story as well Jim; like Chas I though it was about airports.
Thanks, Jim, for posting the story. It was a breath of fresh air when sometimes I feel almost suffocated by what I hear and read in the news. Avery, thanks for posting your experience, as well.
Good for you Jim. I play my harmonica in public when I’m waiting in line. I hate waiting but I enjoy playing. I know of the reactions you receive. In the winter time, sometimes when I’m shopping, I’ll stop in front of stores before going in to play a carol.
Thanks to all. I’m a minimally fair session fluter, no question, but over the last few years I’ve become
a not bad street musician, as such go around the parts I busk in. And it actually seems to brighten people’s
day, to make them glad to be alive. Of all the things I do, this seems to most plainly make the
world a happier place. Better for my being in it. So my life hasn’t been a total waste, it seems.
The rosewood Sweetheart A
is a fine instrument for the street, I say.
I used to play in public, down by the docks where
I keep my boat tied up. The DSA (dockside security
agency) would come by once in a while, but they
never stopped to listen to the music. They were
only interested in climbing up on my ship. Now, I
know a Chinese sailing vessel is an unusual sight,
but that doesn’t mean every Tom, Dick and Harry
should be getting their muddy feet on my decks.
Eventually, I had to stop playing and tell them,
“If you touch my Junk, I’ll have you arrested.”
