Diary Of A Busker Day 70 Wednesday March 30th Winchester High Street (opposite Clinton Cards, Time: 2:50-4:40pm.)
It’s that peculiar weather where it’s raining but it isn’t – it’s drizzle, I think it’s called. I take my chances and come into town. If I can get in the covered bit, I’ll do an hour or so…and, yes, I’m able to get under the covered bit and the money is steady and accumulating at an acceptable rate – about £9 an hour. I’m visited by Marcus, who bought my album a few days ago. I also gave him, as a bonus, a cd of Little Speck Of Blue. “I listened to your tape (a cd), what is it? Tiny Speck…?” “LITTLE Speck Of Blue” I correct him. “Yeah, it’s alright.” he says. Now, there are two ways of saying “It’s allright”, one is “It’s alright”, the other is “It’s alright!” The first is negative, the second is positive. Marcus says it the first way. I explode! – “Alright? ALRIGHT?! I put EVERYTHING into my…” I calm down mid-sentence and think – Oh well, everyone’s entitled to their opinion and all that rubbish. I can’t be bothered and I can’t be bothered quoting Mr. Van Dyke Parks’ comment about the song, about MY song! I think it instead*…even though he calls me “MARV”… and I can’t be bothered to let him know that, although it’s three years old now, Chris Evans’ played it (again) on The Curve Ball. “Why don’t you make a tape of this stuff – what you play out here? I’d give you a tenner for THAT! People would love it.” I bet he’s right – it’s what people know. Oh well. Although it’s not really raining…but it is, my guitar is covered with thousands of Tiny Specks Of Water – “You’ll warp your guitar” says one of my regulars as he walks by. It’s the greedy man who keeps two wives. I want to tell him he’ll warp something else if he keeps on like that. The water droplets don’t bother me, I can just wipe them off the varnish, it’s the moisture in the air that is uncomfortable – it makes my fingers sort of stick to the strings.
…Marcus returns and again says he’ll buy a “tape” of me playing this stuff. I tell him he’d be better off getting a cd of Chet Atkins – he plays it better!
Today marks the debut of my new collection receptacle, as suggested by Bertie the flowerman. It’s not a bucket as such. It’s a small, orange pail with a face on one side, or in other words – a child’s Halloween pumpkin bucket. I’ve got it so the face is looking at me but I may turn it ’round next time – I think the kiddies will like it.
Earnings: £19.62p
* “Marv’s music is most marvy. Crisply arranged, winsome and winning.”
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