Diary Of A Busker Day 334 Tuesday March 5th 2013 1. Opposite Oxfam. Time: 11:38-1:08pm 2. Corner of Monsoon. Time: 1:46-3:03pm
Lately, I’ve been typing in TEMPERATURE IN WINCHESTER into the computer and it takes me to some weather website. Today it said 10 degrees, which is 50 F, as I always convert to the old way. That means it’s the warmest day for weeks months. Coming into the High Street, I can hear Frank warbling away at his traditional Buttercross spot. I don’t want to walk past him so I take a detour on to the street parallel and join the High Street a bit further down where there’s some young guy sat on a stool playing a Spanish piece. I don’t know the piece he’s playing but he sounds OK. I reckon the Vodafone spot is too close so I head down to the bottom, where I haven’t been for weeks…and what a relief; for once I don’t have to worry about getting too cold.
It’s four songs in before the first coin – after The Third Man. The donor – a man, says ‘I like a bit of Harry Lime!’ Later, a woman about 70 with a walking stick, who REALLY likes my Albatross – ‘Oh, Fleetwood Mac.’ ‘Yeah, that is correct.’ ‘Oh, that’s my favourite song.’ ‘That’s lucky I was playing it as you were walking by, then!’ ‘I want that played at my funeral, I’ve told my family.’ ‘Well, that won’t be for some time, I’m sure.’ (I should have said ‘Do you want to book me now?’ and handed her my card). She goes on – ‘Makes me go week at the knees.’ ‘Well, it’s a good job you’ve got your cane with you.’ ‘I like how you get the contrast.’ ‘Eh?’ ‘Contrast. The low with the high.’ ‘Oh right. Well it helps that the song’s in E, so I can play the low note and all the other high stuff, up here’ I explain. ‘Orgasmic’ she says. She definitely said it. I don’t know what to say – ‘Really? Oh wow…well…thank you…um…no one’s ever said THAT before!’ ‘Goodbye’ she says. I half expected her to light up a post-coital fag. ‘Goodbye…come again!’ (the dirty cow). I don’t know what she put in the bucket but whatever it was, I reckon she got the better end of the deal. I wonder if she’ll have the same reaction when they play that at her funeral. Now that really would be something.
I suppose it can only be downhill from there, apart from a brief moment, noteworthy only because it’s at a spot at a new location; just round the corner from the usual Vodafone spot which, because the Spanish guitar bloke is still up the road, I don’t want to set up at. So I’m around the corner, which is OK as he can’t see or hear me because my amp is facing down the other end of the street.
Earnings: £36.00