Day 2637
Friday January 2nd 2025
Winchester
First day out in the new year. I walked into town earlier and although it was windy during the ride in, it was quite windless in the high street. There’s a violinist at the top spot – he was here earlier…and down at Nando’s, a sandwich board where I’d normally set up, which I didn’t want to move at the risk of being told off – I mean, I’ve already been told off by them once and I want a quiet life in my dotage days.
I opt for the crossroads, where I haven’t been for ages…and despite what I said earlier about the windlessness, it’s not long before even a slight breeze practically paralises my fingers and I have to stop and put the hands in trouser pockets for a few seconds. After half an hour, I’ve almost had it – it’s just too bloody cold! A man outside Pret gives his daughter a pound to give to me, he then smiles and a minute later comes over after I’ve finished the song.
‘Hello Marvin, good to see you again.’ Because I didn’t reply straight away (because I’m trying to place him), he says ‘It’s Chris.’
‘Oh, of course, sorry Chris…you’re looking well…I like the beard!’
I played at his wedding in a field just south of Winchester, oh, it must have been nigh on ten years ago. I met him in the days of the open-mic at The Railway. He went by the name Last Child Dancing. A really nice bloke, actually.
‘I’m waiting for my wife – she’s got our other daughter. This one’s Genevieve-a.’
‘Hello Genevieve – I like your punk boots.’
‘Oh…it’s GenevieveA. There’s an “A” at the end.’
‘Oh right, well, Genevieva, what a lovely name.’
‘I was thinking of doing some busking soon here, do you need a licence?’ asks Chris.
‘No, well not yet, not like Reading or Chichester but I never bother about all that these days. I just turn up and play. But yeah, come out and play!’
‘Yeah, I might do, it’s just trying to find the time, with teaching and whatever.’
‘Yep, life gets in the way, I suppose.’
Just then, his wife (whose name escapes me) turned up with their other daughter, who looks the same as GenevieveA, just a couple of years older.
‘Well, hello there – you’re obviously sisters!’
A few seconds later and they’re off, with ‘Well, happy new year Marvin.’
It was nice to see Chris again and it gave me the opportunity to get the hands warm in the pockets for a few minutes, which meant I could play for another few minutes.
I lasted another half hour and that was it – I was in pain! The coinage came to £10.66. I thought it might be more because there were two Paypal donations – well, two people took photos of the link but I’m writing this the day after and nothing’s turned up.