My Bow Got Caught on My Pants
On the subway platform at 59th street a guy was playing accordion.
On the subway platform at 14th street the Chinese dulcimer player who never says ‘hi’ was playing.
On the mezzanine at the Music Under New York busking spot Sixto and Louis were playing Andean music. I haven’t seen Sixto in the subway for at least a year. He was selling Andean apparel at a mall. But no more, he said.
Louis is Alberto’s brother. Alberto is in Equador now, but he will be back to play in the NYC subway in a few months.
Sixto and Louis were playing at this spot since 8:30am. Now they are done for the day and will go home.
As I was setting up to play, three guys were waiting for me to start playing. They had an intrigued look on their faces. I tried to hurry up with the set up, so I could start playing. I pressed the ‘play’ button for my play-back music and… my bow got caught on my pants! (I wear Goth Tripps with lots of spikes). This is the first time this has ever happened to me. The music started playing the intro and I managed to free the bow just in time for my entry note. That was a funny experience.
The ads on the station walls were changed to “I’m a PC” ads. Two guys were walking around with a grid map checking to see that the correct ads were in the right spots. Right behind me was an ad saying “I’m a PC and we’re all inseparably one – Deepak Chopra”.
Blackwolf, the Central Park wizard, stopped to chat. He needs to get a new beard and wig for a gig and he is debating between two Halloween stores where he could get it.
An older lady told me that she needs to do something different – she has been bed ridden for a while and now she is finally out and about.
Albert, the messenger, brought me a Coca-Cola can. As usual, he had to rush on doing deliveries.
At 3pm Groupo Wayno came with a permit for the spot – time for me to go home.
The magician fellow sounds wonderful. I think I would find New York very overwhelming- though I love local eccentrics. They really make being out worthwhile.
We used to have some South American street performers here and they were always the most proficiant. I was so impressed by the strange panpipe flute and the weird ghostly sound it made when I was younger, but I haven’t seen them in an awfully long time- it seems like the people who hang out downtown now are all gutter punks or political canvassers or something- not nearly as many artists around where i work as there used to be, which is sad.
There’s a hipster-infested street near my house that is filled with interesting performers and stuff though, but nothing like I imagine you must have there, and sadly, no saw players.
Maybe someday when I don’t suck as badly I’ll go out and do that too.
It sounds like a great way to people-watch.
So after your bow got snagged, did they stay and listen? Did they dig it? I hope so.