Diary Of A Busker Day 260 Thursday July 19th 2012 Winchester High Street 1. Opposite Bellis, Time: 1:35-3:12pm, 2. Opposite Oxfam, Time:3:41-4:40pm, 3. Opposite O2, Time: 5:27-5:55pm
Shortly after I start, Colin walks by. I say hello and ask him how he is but although he puts a coin in the bucket, he doesn’t stop, which is unusual for him. ‘Ask me another day,’ he says. Oh dear. I do sometimes worry about some of my regulars. Like they’re part of an extended family. A weird one at that, sometimes. I debut a new song, or piece rather, The Swan by Camille Saint-Seans, from The Carnival Of The Animals. I’ve simplified an arrangement I’ve got by Alexander Gluklich which is uses Tarrega’s tremolo technique for the melody, which of course I can’t do, due to my Focal Dystonia. But it’s a great melody, no matter how it’s played. That’s my excuse, anyway. It must sound OK, as two ladies think it’s ‘beautiful,’ so as far as I’m concerned, it’s passed the audition! Why, I think I’ll even name it Song Of The Day.
I pack up after an hour and a half as I want to go and see an acupuncture clinic down at the other end of the street. The people at the place in Reading sent me some addresses of practitioners in Winchester, so I could maybe see about carrying on the treatment…but when I get there, a sign says they’re shut until four o’clock. Hmm, what to do…I go to the Abbey Gardens and count the first session’s dosh and very plentiful it is, being almost double the usual hourly rate. Then to the second session, the Oxfam location. Mick comes by and I tell him about The Swan, as it was he who, quite recently, drew my attention to it in the first place. I always inform my regulars if they’ve contributed in any way to my set. Besides, it’s about time Mick contributed something – it’s never any money! although he’s always cheery and amusing, and has a lot of interesting things to say about music. Which is something. Actually, he’s one of my favourite people I’ve met out here. Hmm…in actual fact, I don’t really mind if he doesn’t contribute any coinage! I play a bit of The Swan…until I make a mistake and then explain why I can’t play the arrangement properly because of my Focal Dystonia. ‘Focal Dystonia? Sounds like a group!’ Mick says. ‘Yeah, that’s what you said when I told you about it before.’ He’s forgotten. Anyway, he says I might want to check out an amazing version of The Swan, by some guy playing an amplified harmonica – ‘chromatic,’ he adds.
After an hour, I pack up and return to the acupuncture place, gain entry and speak to a man wearing a white coat and a German accent, who says he would be able to tell if he could help after two, maybe even one session, so I may take him up on that. £36 pounds a session; a lot of money, but if I can find out once and for all, it’s probably worth it.
Earnings: £47.36 + 1 CD