Day 2629
Sunday November 16th 2025
Winchester, The Square.
While unloading the bike, that tall, white-bearded man – I think he goes by the name Zed or Zee – was standing with his back to me, talking to an old woman in front of the bench to my right. She’s facing me, with a helpless look on her face! When Zee (or Zed or whatever he is) sees me, he says to her, ‘Oh, here he is, the guy who plays the same songs over and over.’
A minute later, she’s off, he comes up to me and I say, ‘Thanks for that, I really appreciate that. You know, you don’t have to stay here and hear me play the same songs. If you don’t like it, feel free to walk around anywhere else. The high street’s just over there, you don’t have to stay here, you know!’
‘Well…maybe I want to stay here. I can if i want,’ he says.
‘Well, you can do what the hell you like. I don’t really care. It’s up to you.’
I have to admit, I saw red for a minute and said a few other things which included at least one swear word. I can’t remember exactly what because when I get like that, I just let loose and that’s the end of it and afterwards I can’t remember what I say!
Anyway, he sat down on the bench for a few minutes, then got up and came to me –
‘Sorry about that…will you accept my apology? I didn’t mean it to sound like that.’
Of course, by this time I’d calmed down a bit –
‘Sure, yeah.’
‘Really? I’m sorry.’
‘That’s fine, it’s OK.’ And with that he wanders off.
I know there’s something not quite “right” about this bloke and I’ve humoured him (for want of a better word) many times over the past fifteen years – because he’s been around ever since I started, but sometimes I’m not in the mood for it. Anyway, naturally I felt a bit guilty about it – I mean losing my temper, which is one of my character failings. But sod it, we’re all human!
Back to the playing…although the temperature was the same as the last few days, it felt a lot colder and I was not able to do the required two hours. Only just though – I fell short by only ten minutes. The mediocre coinage didn’t help – £19.43. I’m used to a bit more for a Sunday. For shame, Winchester!