This is New York

A man sitting on the stairs leading to the subway station was smoking a cigarette. He offered to help me bring my busking gear up the stairs “as long as it’s not a baby”, he said. At the top of the first flight of stairs he fell to the floor. He immediately got up. “Are…

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Saw Me Gently

As I was climbing the stairs up to the subway platform I heard the train arriving. I doubled my climbing pace in an attempt not to miss the train. I heard the announcement “Stand clear of the closing doors”, and I thought “Oh, no – I’m not going to make it”. Then I heard the…

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A Dog With a Health Care Plan

As I was climbing up the stairs at the subway station, an MTA construction worker was climbing down, carrying a ladder. “You still play?” he asked me. It always warms my heart when people recognize me. As the train passed the 59th street subway station I could see Frankie playing his guitar on the platform.…

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Whiling Away the Ride

The ferry boats to Staten Island have names. The one I took this time, on my way to the Music Under New York busking spot in the ferry terminal, was named ‘American Spirit’. The Staten Island ferry landing place is modern, while the one right next to it, which launches the ferry to Governor’s Island,…

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Busking in Staten Island

Waiting for the ferry to take me to my busking spot at the terminal on the Staten Island side, I had an excited feeling of an adventure. I’ve only taken the ferry once before and that was many years ago. When the ferry boat left the dock, we passed by Governor’s Island. What fun it…

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