Day 2667

Day 2667
Monday March 16th 2026
Winchester

Once again I’m on foot into town as walking is better exercise than the bike and the 12-string’s light enough. It’d be a real struggle with the electric. It’s the flower seller’s day off so I set up at the alleyway entrance opposite Marks & Sparks, first checking to see there aren’t any undesirables hanging out, as it’s one of their favourite hangouts. Coinage is slow – it’s half an hour before I get anything – a 20p from a schoolboy, for goodness sake. And then another fifteen minutes before anything else, but at least it’s a fiver, which cheers me up no end.

I’m slightly put off when I see a woman clearly about to give birth in the next few hours walk by with her massive bump uncovered. I mean, come on, that’s just weird.

Sue drops by to video me doing the last bit of Can’t Take My Eyes Off You. At the end, I offer to do the song again so she can get a full rendition – ‘Oh yes please!’ It goes well until I stop to wave at a kid in a buggy and momentarily forget the key change up to G.
During this complete rendition, a bunch of girls (schoolgirl age but no uniforms) congeal near the concrete squares to my right and all come over to donate some silver, and someone else puts in a SECOND fiver, deeming the tune Song Of The Day – been awhile since I’ve had a SOTD. The girls are still there when I finish up and as I’m walking off, they collectively shout ‘Bye!’ ‘You’re amazing!’ One even blows a kiss. I’m 63. Behave!