Diary Of A Busker Day 142 Tuesday August 9th Winchester High Street (1. opposite Card Factory, Time: 1:10-2:25pm, 2. opposite The Body Shop, Time: 3:05-6:30pm).
The day gets off to a slow start – no donations for 15 minutes. Depressing, but then things pick up at a furious rate – after less than an hour I’ve counted almost £20 – very unusual. There’s no telling in this game. A lady listens from across the road for awhile, then comes over. “My husband used to play the guitar. He died in April. It’s nice to hear a guitar.” “I’m sorry, what stuff did he play?” “Oh, Hendrix. I’ve still got his SG, Strad (I’m sure she means Strat – for Stratocaster)”, Ovation…”
My “still struggling with the guitar” regular Anthony comes by and talks about the rioting in London. “They (young rioters/looters) wouldn’t do that in Saudi Arabia” he says, remembering that I was recently talking about when I went there, “They’d get their hands chopped off.” “Yep, you’re right Anthony. That’s why they’ve hardly got any crime there. They should do it over here but it’ll never happen.” “No. My neighbour got mugged the other day, by some thugs, you know.” “Really? That’s terrible, isn’t it. Did he go to the police?” “No.” “He should. Some young guy who lives near us mugged an old lady awhile back. That’s got to be the lowest of the low.”
After an hour and a quarter I’m aware of another sound nearby. I look around and see some kid with a music stand and saxophone outside Marks And Spencer which is practically across the street from me. How can he not have seen/heard me? This really annoys me and I look around for someone I know to ask them to look after my stuff for a minute while I go and have a word, but there’s no one around. Oh well, I’ve had a good hour – I’ve counted £23 a few minutes ago. Maybe this is when the kid set up – when I was counting. I decide to take a break and pack up, then a word with this kid. I go over and interupt his scale exercise. “Excuse me (he ignores me), EXCUSE ME! (he looks up). Didn’t you hear me ? – I was just over there!” “Uh, no, sorry.” I don’t really want to shout at him – In fact I’m starting to feel sorry for him! “Well, just look around before you start playing, OK?” “OK, sorry.” The fool, he’s only about 15.
I go up the road and start playing again and the money’s not flowing up here like it was at the other place, but it’s still acceptable. I think before it was a freak occurance. I can tell there’s someone standing almost behind me, listening – I’m playing When I’m Sixty-Four. Sure enough, when I finish young Ben, who also plays, steps out of the shadows. Ben says he’s seen my videos of my original songs. I tell him they’ve still got a cd of my album down at the HMV Shop. It’s been there two years, somehow it’s managed to escape all the old stock clearouts – but for how much longer, well, no one can say. Ben wants to hear Anjie, the Davey Graham 60s instrumental that Bert Jansch did on his first album. I tell him I rarely play this as it’s murder on my right hand – you need at least 3 good fingers for it, and I’ve got only 2. Still, I have a go at it but it’s a bit ham-fisted and Neanderthal. Then Ben asks if HE can do it. Sure. He does and it’s much more precise. Yep, very nice.
My 99 year old regular Henry stops in his electric cart. I play him the song he requested the first time I met him, but didn’t know – Over The Rainbow. I was going to visit him again at his home, not far from where I live but when I phoned him to arrange it, he was feeling a bit down (a close relative had died) and he didn’t feel very much like socialising, I think. My other very old regular – Ralph, turns up too. “I’ll be 92 in two weeks, at the end of August.” “Well, you’re doing alright Ralph- you can walk around pretty well, can’t you?” “Yes, well you have to make yourself get up and out when you’re my age – keep going, or else. What about what happened in Tottenham (riots/looting) – I used to live there. It wouldn’t happen in other countries.” “You’re right, it wouldn’t Ralph – not in Saudi Arabia. They’d all get their hands chopped off.”
Earnings: £53.60p.