Diary Of A Busker Day 430 Wednesday August 14th Winchester (Opposite Bellis/O2, Time: 3:45-5:35pm).
As I’m about to sit down and start up, Mandolin John turns up. He doesn’t want to play, though – he did the morning session, he says. He tells me he’s had a bit of bother with his landlord, who’s contacted the police about a bit of damage John’s done to the property. I ask why his landlord couldn’t have sorted it out without getting the police involved – John doesn’t know. ‘It’s a crazy world, people make things so complicated now’, is all I can think of saying.
A bunch of 12 year olds come up, and one with a rather arrogant face, who I’ve seen around before, and who I assume is the ringleader says ‘Can you answer some questions, we’re doing a survey’, while someone at the back shouts ‘Can you play James Bond?’ I say ‘You’ve heard me before, eh?’ and then ask how long the survey will take. Another one says ‘A few, five minutes’. Me – ‘Because I can’t really stop playing’. Ringleader – ‘One minute’. Me – ‘OK’. Ringleader – ‘Do you shave?’ Me – ‘Do I shave? What do you think?’ Ringleader – ‘Do you shave your pubes?’ Me, thinking “did he say what I thought he said?” – ‘Sorry?’ Ringleader – ‘Do you shave your pubes?’ I don’t answer, I dismiss them with a wave of the hand and wonder: how some kid can come up to a 51 year old man and say ‘Do you shave your pubes?’ When I told Doll about it later, she said if I ever see him out with his parents, I should go up and say ‘I wonder if you know your son came up to me and asked if I shaved my pubes. I thought you should know that’.
Next up, someone I haven’t seen for ages – the friendly Laughing Woman (of Winchester). I greet her – ‘I haven’t seen you in ages’. ‘I know – ha ha! Are you alright? Ha ha! You been getting on? Ha ha ha!’ ‘Alright, I think. I’ve been here just over an hour’. ‘Well, you’ve got the cover, haven’t you, in case it starts (the rain – it’s a grey day), ha!’ ‘Yeah, I’m alright’. ‘I remember you from the article in the paper – ha’. ‘Really?’ ‘Yes, oh yes! Ha ha!’ ‘Well that was two years ago, you know…more in fact’. ‘Was it really? Oh my goodness, oh…ha. Ha ha, HA! That’s um…frightening, ha ha!’ ‘Yeah, I know, where does all the time go, eh?’ ‘Well, yes…ha… Oh well, I’ll let you get on, ha!’ ‘OK. Nice to see you again’.
At 5 o’clock it starts raining lightly, so I pull my stuff in a few inches. There are still a few people about so I carry on and do the de-tuned section, apart from the zither-style Third Man, and end with – what else? – The Rain Song. A couple in the WH Smiths doorway embrace and sway along. I don’t often get that! At the end, they do the right thing and come over and contribute.
Earnings: £17.68p
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