Diary Of A Busker Day ~ 127

Diary Of A Busker Day 127 Thursday July 7th Winchester High Street (1. opposite Clinton Cards, Time: 12:20-12:50pm, 1:55-3:30pm, 2. opposite Vodafone, Time: 3:10-4:30pm, 3. outside Debenhams, Time: 5-5:55pm).

A short set to begin with then I’m off to the St. Lawrence church – about a minute’s walk away, to the piano recital by 19 year old Jason Lam. The program comprised of Bach, Beethoven and three Chopin pieces – Two Nocturnes and the Third Ballade. Then I’m back to the same spot for an hour and a half

There are alot of foreign students about these days, mainly French and Italian, who are occasionally very generous – if one gives money, very often the rest of the bunch will, and always very loud. There’s a group of about 15 standing in front of the coffee restaurant and shouting to each other but it’s very loud anyway – there are thousands walking about, not just foreign students…and me.

And on the same subject, Shane – the very loud trumpet playing busker turns up. He was last seen scurrying to Alton, having just been told to shut up and move on by no less than four deafened shop workers. He’s now moaning about how he can’t play near the market stalls because they (the stall owners) are getting quite aggresive towards him – I don’t blame them, he’s too loud. However, I still feel sorry for him so I say he can busk here as I need a break and can go down to Debenhams, for some relative peace and quiet. OK, he says (with very little thanks), he’ll just go up to the bank and come back in a few minutes. Fifteen minutes later, he returns. “I’ll leave it to you, good luck”, I say. Less than one hour later, I’m down at Debenhams and Shane walks by staring at a piece of paper which he’s holding and has set fire to. He ignores me. “How did it go?” “Alright”, he says, not even bothering to look at me, or thank me for giving my pitch to him. In future I decide to look on Shane somewhat less kindly and with less guilt – I still felt bad about asking him to go somewhere else the day he suddenly set up near me and started blasting away – perhaps I have an invisible shield around me… I get the impression Shane’s quite arrogant – loud buskers usually are. I think that’s the problem.

Earnings: £50.29p.

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