A Puppy, a Turtle & a Snake

There were no trains going to Manhattan when I arrived at the subway station. I had to take a train in the opposite direction and transfer to a Manhattan bound train at a different station. When I got to the Music Under New York busking spot at Union Square, Cathy Grier was playing electric guitar…

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Thats My Song

Two Chinese people were playing the erhu and what looks like a Chinese version of a banjo on the platform when I arrived at the Union Square subway station. At the Music Under New York busking spot a thin guy was playing electric guitar with an effects pedal. He was playing an endless melody while…

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Everybody is Out, Playing

As I got to the Music Under New York busking spot at Union Square there was a guy sleeping on the right hand side bench. He had a guitar lying next to him. On the left bench there was a lady with very swollen legs, also sleeping. At 12:15 the Chinese erhu player started playing…

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Give Me Beer and Nobody Will Get Hurt

At the Music Under New York busking spot at the Union Square subway station kora player Salieu Suso was playing. He spotted me as I came out of the elevator and yelled: “Saw Lady! How are you?” Salieu got his official Music Under NY cloth banner (newbie buskers get a small plastic banner for their…

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Halloween is Tomorrow, But The Witches Are Already Here

A guy helped me bring my busking gear up the stairs at the subway station. Guy: “Oh, you’re the Saw Lady!” Saw Lady: “That’s right. I’m on my way to 14th street where I’ll be playing dressed as a witch. Halloween is tomorrow, but the witches are already here 🙂 ” Guy: “What?! It’s Halloween…

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The Messenger is Alive

As I was climbing the stairs up to the subway platform I could hear the train approaching, so I rushed up the stairs with all my busking gear. I succeeded in catching the train but then had to catch my breath. Luke Ryan, the singer/songwriter/guitar player, was at the Music Under New York spot at…

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Without Them I Can’t Smile

It was 99 degrees. I was sweating buckets just walking to the subway. A nice guy helped me carry my busking gear all the way up the four flights of stairs to the train platform. He told me that he is a musician, too – he plays guitar, and he knows how hard it is,…

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Like Magic

Like many New Yorkers, I know the exact spot on the subway platform to wait for the train, so that when I get to my destination station I will exit the train exactly where the elevator/stairs out are. I usually wait at that spot, but today was so hot that I decided to wait at…

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Missing in Action

As I was playing at the Music Under New York spot at the Union Square subway station, Zina, the painter, brought me a large replica of the caricature she made of me. Painter: © Zina Saunders Arnold, the messenger guy, told me that Albert, the other guy who works as a messenger and who is…

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He Made Me Laugh

While playing at the Union Square subway station a man with a great sense of humor interviewed me on camera. I have heard many musical saw jokes, but this guy is original and intelligent – he kept making me laugh. Thank you, RenatO!

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