Diary Of A Busker Day 15 Thursday December 23rd Winchester High Street (opposite WH Smiths) Time: 12:30 – 2pm.
Got to the High Street at 11:30, but had to hang around for an hour before a spot became vacant – many buskers and beggars about. Salvation Army quartet in front of the Christmas tree, Rob – I found out his name – the American rock guitar guy sporting fingerless gloves (the lucky so and so), another Salvation Army sub-group and some guy sitting down hitting a very small drum – it could even be a lidded coffee cup – in an entirely random manner. The police have let the ‘traditional’ common or garden beggars stay where they are, as long as they are seen to be, ahem – ‘playing’ something – so they’re not just sitting there begging.
Went to WH Smiths for awhile, went to the church in the alleyway for awhile, came back, watched Rob…talked to Rob about the usual – cold hands. He says you can get some heat pads from the outdoor shop nearby. With me, I had two palm-sized heart shaped pads – one pink, one red, borrowed from a neighbours’ 14 year old daughter. You boil them at home, take them with you, then when you want them to work, you press the small silver oval shaped thing which is inside, some amazing chemical reaction takes place and they heat up. You can then warm your hands. But mine didn’t work.
Rob had sold only three albums, he usually sells ten – “Don’t know what it is today, people just wanna get where they’re goin’…” It really was cold. I couldn’t play more than five minutes. I couldn’t feel my thumb – not helped by the plastic thumbpick I use which cuts off the circulation, anyway. I was playing by sight and sound, as I couldn’t feel anything, very unnerving! I was going to make today a double-header but abandoned the idea – even now, six hours later, my thumb hasn’t recovered.
Earnings: £8.02p
P.S. I saw Frank busking on the corner of Marks And Spencers wearing what looked like an orange rubber jumpsuit – “It keeps me warm but it’s a bit sweaty.” What a guy.