Day 2680
Saturday April 25th 2026
Winchester
The mass cycle ride was taking place from 11 to 1 today so I left it later to come in. To my surprise and horror, there is already someone installed in MY traditional weekend pitch in The Square. For shame! I’ve seen him before, singing and playing his acoustic. As I walk through, he’s doing The Times They Are A Changing – indeed, for someone not to ask my permission to use this hallowed spot! No matter, I double back and set up in front of a mobile phone shop, opposite the Nat West bank.
I think I might have played here a couple of times before over the last fifteen years but not more. I’ve bought the Janglebox along so I rig that up and I’m away. One thing I’m not used to is the volume of the new amp. I mean, fifteen years is a long time to use a bit of equipment and you just get used to every molecule of how it sounds. Also, I don’t think my ears, with their hearing problems can deal with it because after a certain volume, they start playing tricks with my hearing. Anyway,I suppose you just have to get on with it and hope it sounds good to other people…and there are loads of them about.
I did an hour and fifteen minutes for around £9, which is pretty poor for a Saturday, so enough was enough. I packed up and returned to The Square, walking past my man – still playing, and into the cathedral grounds to sit down for a break and decide where to go next. A few minutes later, a man who I see about with a camera. He’s taken a few photos of me recently which he promises to send but never does. Anyway, he comes up – ‘I took a photo of you and it looks like you’re wearing your hat, from the angle I took it.’ (I bought a Panama-ish hat in Valldemossa and wore it into town today for the first time. I popped it onto the extended handle of my suitcase next to me).
‘Oh right, OK!’
‘Yeah, it looks really good. I’ll send you the photo.’
‘OK, cheers.’
He goes off and a minute later the bloke playing turns around and does a strumming motion to ask if I want to play. I go over and he asks if I’m waiting to play. I say I’m OK and he says he’s just going to do a couple more songs – ‘…until I finish this beer someone bought me from The Eclipse.’ I say that’s fine – I’ll just hang around for a bit – no rush. And there isn’t, as I need a break after a session with the 12-string. He does one or two other songs then I Shall Be Released, finishes his beer and I go over with my stuff and compliment him on his last song – ‘Oh, thanks, that’s the first time I’ve ever done that one. Messed up a couple of lines.’
‘We’ll, no one would have known, unless there’s a Dylanologist about. It doesn’t matter, it was fine. I understand, though…you’re your own worst enemy! I know what it’s like!’
‘Oh good…I haven’t been out in over a year. This is my first time. My bank balance requires it!’
‘Oh right, well I hope you’ve done alright.’ I saw he had a tenner and a fiver in his case, so I know that’s OK.
I ask his name – it’s John, and I ask if he wouldn’t mind having a quick listen to my amp, with and without the Janglebox, and give me his opinion. So he packs up while I set up a couple of feet to his left and in less than five minutes, he’s all packed up and I’m all set up. I do a bit of La Vie En Rose, stopping and starting to switch on the Janglebox. His verdict? ‘It’s got a bit more punch with the box’ but that’s after me switching to and fro a few times while he made up his mind so I doubt there’s much in it. Anyway, I keep it switched on for the set, which is an hour and 20 minutes, putting the total up to 2 hours and 35 minutes.
And I did alright, securing a tenner, two fivers and enough coinage to make the total around £35, and a grand total of £43.41.
One of the fiver contributers said he’s just moved to Winnall, prompting me to say -‘Oh, I lived there when I moved to Winchester. Shepherds Road.’ At just that point, councillor Ian Tait walked by – ‘I used to deliver pamplets through the doors in Winnall! Probably did yours!’ ‘Really? Well, if you were doing it thirty years ago, maybe!’ A short chat about politics ensued before Ian walked off. My contributor then said – ‘Who was that?’ ‘That’s Ian Tait. He’s a councillor. He’s around all the time – he’s been around for years, a bit like me, but if you’ve just moved here, you’ll be seeing a lot more of him around the town. He has a very distinctive way of walking, sort of a lope!’