Nobody Feels Like Being on Time on Monday

As I was riding the subway train on my way to busking in the subway, three guys singing ‘This Little Light of Mine’ said ‘hi’ to me as they transferred to the next car. One of them told me that he’s trying to battle a cold, and he’s singing with a soar throat. “Drink honey…

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Subway Music Advice

I was asked to say what advice I might give to somebody who wants to play music in the subway: First I’d like to say – just do it! Even though it might seem kind of scary to play music in the subway to begin with, you got to just go and do it because…

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I Don’t Believe in Miracles – I Rely on Them

At the elevated subway station a lady who walked down the stairs and was already on the street saw me approaching the subway stairs. She turned around and volunteered to help me bring my busking gear up the stairs, even though she was going in the opposite direction. First miracle of the day. At the…

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She Probably Doesn’t Remember Me

Making my way to my busking spot in the subway, as I was climbing up the subway station’s stairs, an elderly gentleman who was going DOWN the stairs volunteered to reverse his steps and help me carry my busking gear up the stairs. He must have been at least 70 years old. He then said…

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Playing for Pocket Change

When I was playing at the Music Under New Yorkbusking spot at 59th street & Lex subway station, Mark and Michael of ‘Suddenly Tragic Productions’ stopped by to chat with me. They asked me a lot of questions. Of course I knew they were filming, but what I didn’t know at the time was that…

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An Elevator Has Two Sets of Doors

When I was busking at the 14th street subway station, a teenager named Art rubbed my musical saw with his hand three times and said: “can I have three wishes?” He then went on to say: “I wish you’d play that song I like”. As I’ve seen him before many times I knew he meant…

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Poetry and Art

If I didn’t play the musical saw in the NYC subway, I would miss out on meeting some of the most wonderful people in the world whom I’ve met in the subway. One such gentleman is Jeffrey Dayton, who surprised me with a beautiful poem he wrote: You are the saw lady Natalia Paruz Your…

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I Think of You When You’re Not Here

As I was playing ‘Over the Rainbow’ while busking at the 14th street subway station, Joe Lucas, the homeless guy with the hook arm, showed up. I haven’t seen him in months. He went to Montana to visit a friend and then to Rhode Island to visit his sister. It was wild that he showed…

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Words, Images and Music

When I got to the 34th street subway station I heard a voice saying “Saw Lady”. I looked around and saw two ladies talking but it didn’t look like it was them calling my name. I kept walking and I heard the voice again. I looked around. From a dark corner a homeless man with…

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R.I.P Rue McClanahan

As I was dragging my busking gear up the stairs to the subway station, a guy left his shopping cart by the bottom of the stairs and offered to help me carry my stuff up the stairs. He wasn’t even heading to the subway – he volunteered to go out of his way just to…

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