Torn Bow Hair and Cut Fingers

Today was the first day this year I didn’t need to wear a sweater when playing in the subway. Can summer be finally here? Calebe Arruda was playing the violin at the Music Under New York spot at the 14th street subway station. He has been playing there for four hours today. Calebe is a…

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The Other Way

There was nobody at the Music Under New York spot at the Union Square subway station when I got there. A man was sleeping on the bench and another man was reading. On the opposite bench a lady was counting change. The homeless guy with a hook hand asked me to play the theme from…

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$3

It was raining as I left my house to go play in the NYC subway. A gentleman offered to help me take my gear up the stairs at the subway station. When we got to the top of the stairs we saw a lady fall to the floor. The guy helped her up while I…

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It’s a Bird

It was raining as I made my way to playing in the subway today. At the Music Under New York spot at the Union Square subway station Louis and a friend were playing Andean music. They were there since 8am. It was almost noon, and they said, as they gave the spot over to me,…

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Luck of the Irish

For St. Patrick’s Day I put on a green ribbon on my sweatshirt and I wore sparkly green socks to play in the subway. As I got to the subway station near my house a lady offered to help me carry my stuff up the first two flights of stairs. Then a gentleman offered to…

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Kids Grow Up

On the train, on my way to playing in the subway, the mute lady who walks the trains was handing out little sign language cards. She greeted me ‘hello’ in pantomime. She really is mute. I don’t know if she is also deaf. Very nice lady. Nobody was at the Music Under New York spot…

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6th Grade Project

When I arrived at the 14th street subway station the older Chinese lady was on the platform, beating her two-tone instrument. As I walked towards the elevator to the mezzanine the Chinese lady packed up her chair and left. As I was setting up at the Music Under New York spot the homeless guy with…

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Saws in the Subway

While on the train, traveling to where I am going to play in the subway today, the train stopped at the Lexington subway station. Through the open door I saw Frank playing the guitar on the platform. I called out to him and he waved back. He asked if I was going to play at…

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No Gallstones

At 11:40am there was a Chinese lady on the subway platform at Union Square, beating on her two-toned drum. Upstairs at the Music Under New York spot there was a freelancer, a young guy with glasses, playing acoustic guitar and singing the blues. Both benches were empty and remained empty for the 20 minutes I…

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A Hook Hand and a Wobble Knee

The trains were screwed up today – I had to take a train going away from Manhattan in order to transfer to a train going to Manhattan… When I arrived at the Union Square subway station there was a guy with a lot of Duane Reed bags and a newspaper in his hand sleeping on…

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