Diary Of A Busker Day 2505 Saturday March 15th 20205 Winchester.
Another cold day (obviously) but with more wind than usual, which is never good when the temperature’s 10 degrees or under, which it is! Gareth is unpacking his stuff near the bench opposite The Buttercross. He nods to the flats opposite – ‘That woman’s window was open when I got here but she’s obviously seen me here and shut it.’ I say he should just ignore her – ‘You’re never going to please everyone…you know that!’ I’m quite relieved I can’t set up there, as I’ve been there two days running. Anyway, it’s the weekend so The Square should be tourist-infested, I don’t even bother checking out the crossroads pitch as it’s 100% certain Meeta’s implanted herself there for the day.
Unfortunately (but predictably), the wind factor in The Square is rather worrying and there’s no way I’m going to manage anything like two hours if it keeps up like it does when I start up. In fact, I almost pack up after half an hour, not so much because of the wind but due to the complete lack of coinage. However, I’ve no sooner said to myself “Sod this, I’m fucking off” when it suddenly picks up, first with a fiver, then a handful of pound coins in quick succession, then the high point of the day. Graham turns up with his partner, who I don’t think I’ve ever met, and requests his favourite – the Robinson Crusoe theme. Bloody hell, I haven’t played that one in weeks and warn him…but I get through it and only botched up one section. At the end, he gave me a tenner in the same manner of one or two times before; secretively, with the note hidden in a closed fist, looking around to see if anyone’s looking.
Graham’s donation accounts for a fourth of the entire takings, which isn’t bad for an hour and 20 minutes, by which time my fingers are useless. It’s a shame, because every other body part is fine…well, apart from my toes but I don’t play the bloody guitar with them. Speaking of which, I might see if the Epiphone Les Paul fits into the case and if it does I might bring it along tomorrow and give the trusty Strat a rest.