Diary Of A Busker Day ~ 124

Diary Of A Busker Day 124 Friday July 1st Winchester High Street (outside Debenhams, Time: 2-3:40pm, 5:35-6:21pm).

        Today’s the first day of the celebrated Hat Fair – the high point in the Winchester calender. It’s also the day of my wedding drinks party gig, so to warm up, I do a “quick” hour and a half at the current favourite spot – Debenhams. After a few minutes, I’m momentarily distracted by a great, looming shadow, becoming more great and looming. It turns out to be a huge Hippopotamus (not a real one) being “driven” or steered by a guy whose head I can just see poking through the top. Yes, the Hat Fair’s well and truly arrived – I’m told today is Children’s Day, although I was under the impression that, given the frivolous, (nay infantile?) theme of the Hat Fair, every day is Children’s Day.

      A couple watch me from a safe distance (across the road), then come over. They think I’m great! – “Why are you here? – there’re talent scouts everywhere now, you know there’s a guy up there just sitting down with a metal bowl?” – outside the HMV Shop, this is the beggar  who was lumping me in with himself when the police were trying to get him to “move on”- Day 110. The couple are from Lee-on-Solent and they want to buy a cd of me playing my busking songs. I’ve only got a demonstration cd of a few bars of some songs, but I tell them I write my own music and persuade them to invest in a cd of a single of mine called Little Speck Of Blue, which has been on the radio and which I just happen to have with me. However, I warn them it’s nothing like the stuff I play out here, but it’s nice and they might like it – for £2.

    At 3:40 I pack up and head off to do my drinks party. I play for one hour and it’s quite a nerve-wracking experience – I’m not used to people being more or less stationary while I’m playing. I think they must be a bit bored with me after an hour. It’s different out here – people don’t stop for more than a few minutes, if at all.

      After my “gig”, I intend to go home but I’m feeling a bit tensed-up, so decide to calm my nerves by doing another spot of busking – just under an hour, to finish off the day. As I’m nearing the end of The James Bond Theme (not on my wedding drinks party set list), three young guys walk by, one of them stops. I know what he’s waiting for – he wants to hear the last chord, the discordant, jazzy one – a great chord, to see if I’ve got it right. I’m hoping he’ll show his appreciation (for me and also the recently departed Mr. Barry) by chucking in a few coins, at the end, following my correct execution of “the chord”. But after I do it, he says (to his mates waiting nearby) “That’s the right chord!” and just walks off.

Earnings: £20.53p.

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