Diary Of A Busker Day 2470 Tuesday December 17th 2024 Winchester.
It’s cold; 9 degrees but at least there’s no wind because if there was the slightest breeze, I’d be putting my hands in my pockets every ten minutes. The Buttercross is free – good, because I don’t feel like schleping around town on the bike, looking for a free spot, which is what’s happening on the weekends until the new year. After five songs and no donations I played Last Christmas and got £5 in coinage from a young woman – ‘I love that George Michael song!’ Well, so do I at the moment. I mean, that single donation was worth me taking the time to learn it! I played it again half an hour later and got another donation, so that’s £6 for that one song. Hey, it’s got to be Song Of The Day – I haven’t had one of them for awhile!
Someone I haven’t seen for ages comes by. It’s the Laughing Woman of Winchester. ‘I haven’t seen you in ages. I was beginning to worry.’ ‘Oh, I just can’t handle the crowds, I stay away, haha!’ ‘I don’t blame you. It’s mental, isn’t it?’ ‘Oh yes, haha…good to see you again, hahaha!’
A couple in their late 50s are sitting on the bench opposite. They clap after a couple of songs and then the man comes over – ‘Did you write a book?’ he says. I tell him I have, indeed. Two in fact. It turns out my notoriety has spread far and wide – ‘My boss in Cormwall has one of your books and he said to me “You have to read this, it’s great.” So he loaned it to me and I read it…’ Well, to cut a long story short, I convinced him that he really needs to read the 2nd volume and so convinced him to buy it. A book sale, now that’s a real turn up for the books!
I managed an hour and ten minutes (it was worth coming in, the takings were almost £35) then my hands were done in and I was starting to make mistakes. They’re still a bit tingly and it’s FIVE hours later.
2 comments for “Day 2470”