We Have to Check Our Stocks

On the train on my way to my busking spot, the guy with freckles who sings on the trains with the a-capella group of the guy who walks with a cane said ‘hi’ to me. He is on his way to meet the other singers at their usual get-together place at the 57th street subway station. On weekends they like to sing outdoors in the Village, on Prince street or on Bleeker street, so he hopes the weather will be nice this weekend.
I told him that I’m on my way to playing at 34th street, after two years of not playing there.

a-capella singers

At the Music Under New York busking spot an Ecuadorian pan-flute player was playing. He’s been playing there for two hours, since 10 am. Now he will go home. He hasn’t been to his country in two years.
I asked him what the situation is like at this spot with the Police. I told him that I haven’t played here in two years. He said: As long as you keep he volume down, it’s OK”.
As I was setting up a sanitation worker came to sweep the floor by me. I greeted him ‘good morning’.

A guy taking the escalator behind me yelled: “Talent!”. I looked back and he was going down the escalator, holding his thumb up at me and he said again “Talented!”.

Saw Lady at 34th street

Frank, the guitar player/singer/whistler told me that the summons he got for playing in the subway got dismissed. He also told me that musicians put on a strike in the Village against police harassment of buskers.

Frank

The singer whom I met in the train earlier today came by to visit me with his singing partner.

At 3pm Gimagua, the guitar playing twins, arrived for their permitted time. They haven’t heard of the street performers demonstration, either.
They are now using a laptop for playing their bass & drum track while they are playing. They used to use an MP3 player, like me, but it broke. I joked with them saying “I know why you have a laptop here – you’re addicted to e-mail, you have to check your e-mail every 5 minutes 🙂 “. They joked back: “No, we have to check our stocks” 🙂 ”

Gimagua

On the train back home a nice young man with deformed arms and hands was selling candy – two for $3.

2 Comments

  1. elizasmom on January 20, 2010 at 7:20 pm

    Hi Natalia — I am so glad you are blogging regularly again! I have missed your wonderful vignettes — these fleeting interactions between you, other buskers and passersby always put a smile on my face.



  2. Ruth on January 24, 2010 at 11:35 pm

    Dear Natalia,
    You might not remember me… I am a short, gray-hair woman originaly from Switzerland, having my four daughters living in Israel…. I admired you and listened to you so often at times Square – and these days, the few times I pass by there, I am thinking of you. I hope so much that you’re fine – and of course, I wish to hear you soon again.
    Well, I could send you a picture of myself to remind you who I am…

    Very best wishes!
    Ruth