People Showed Me Their Hands

As I was setting up to play on the platform at 59th street, a guy asked me how much it costs to get a permit to play in the subway. He said he busks in Boston, playing guitar and singing, and that its very different the way busking works over there. Buskers don’t have to…

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Buskers Look Out for One Another

When I got to the Music Under New York busking spot at 14th street there was a homeless guy looking inside the garbage can. On the bench a man and a woman were displaying posters – probably religious. An older guy carrying a heavy load took the stairs and not the elevator. I often see…

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Some People Are Diamond And Some People Are Coal

A guy passed me by as I was lugging my busking gear up the stairs at the subway station. He then retraced his steps and came back to help me, saying: “I thought someone was with you – that’s why I didn’t stop to help”. That someone he thought was with me was a younger…

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Train Panhandler Retired to Florida

Nobody was playing at the Music Under NY busking spot at 14th street when I got there. As I was setting up my busking gear a European sounding lady asked me: “sorry, can you tell me the time, please?” Immediately after that two Japanese ladies asked me how to get to the ‘L’ train. I’m…

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