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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Musical Saw Festival in Israel

When I play the saw in public, oftentimes people come forward to tell me about some other saw player that they know or have seen. I perform in Israel frequently and so I came to hear about many saw players there. What surprised me was that even in such a tiny country as Israel, most…

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Subway Conductors’ Window Habits

As I was setting up to play at the Music Under New York site at the 59th street & Lexington subway station a lady wearing an MTA coat walked by, leading a bicycle. She called out to me “Natalia, you’re all right”. That means she bothered to read the MUNY permit banner which I hang…

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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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Pure Connection

During the first half hour of my playing at the Music Under New York spot at the Union Square subway station people I always see there, such as the blond blind lady, two messengers, and the older gentleman with the big smile, all greeted me ‘hello’. People still said ‘Happy New Year’ to me today,…

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Happy New Year!

I guess I must be really tired from the exhausting holiday season – while I was on the train going to my spot I realized I forgot my watch, my Music Under New York permit, the New Year’s Eve hat I always wear on this day and the camera! Good thing I didn’t forget my…

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Christmas Wrapping Paper

Louis and Uri, the two Andean musicians, were playing at the Music Under New York spot at the Union Square subway station when I arrived there. I set on the bench to wait for them to be done playing. Near me there was a homeless looking guy, sleeping. On the seat between me and the…

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