"Where Does the Smoke Come Out?"

Wow, today's a two-poster! I wasn't planning on busking today, since I'm super lazy, but my homepage is now weather.com (just to encourage me to play, which clearly worked today). I'm still not "fluent" in Celsius, but Edinburgh was marked at 10 degrees, and I know that two digits is cause for celebration! Whereas I went fully serious last night (all black, no signs), I opted to go full "freaks and circus" (a term used by one man in the Castro to advise me on how I shouldn't dress to busk). This meant piano dress, Flaca, babysitting flyers, both signs, the works.

My flatmates had suggested playing on the Middle Meadow Walk, a pedestrian walkway that connects the main road to The Meadows, the big park. This street is lined on one side by University buildings and on the other by a building containing a Starbucks, Sainsbury's (grocery) and a casual restaurant. It's a good place to busk since it's near the main road, generally has lots of foot traffic, but it's not in the middle of the park where you might be disturbing peace/folks are only jogging.

This was indeed a good place, and I will be playing there again. The sun was out! For a while I was in direct contact with it, and it felt so good. I got that tingly feeling you get when you're out in the sun for the first time in the Spring. I was out from 12:30-2:30, so some people were out on lunch breaks. It's school holiday, so there were kids everywhere. As I said, I used my student loan sign, and folks commented on it like they usually do. I was right next to the University, though, so undoubtedly most assumed that I was a U. Edinburgh student. One asked what I'm studyING. I decided to be honest to seem super studious. Well honest with the major, not with the tense.

At times it was super windy. Not a problem for money, since it's all metal, but it was a problem for my loan sign and my set list, which was weighed down by a water bottle that was apparently no match for the wind. Flaca fell over a few times too, but she kept smiling. I kept waiting for someone to ask me to leave, but no one did! (There's a rule here that if ANYONE asks you to leave, you have to.)

Here's what happened (this is the longest list of notes I've had since getting here!):

Wednesday, February 15, 2012:

1. A young couple stood back and listened to me play. The girl said "We love you!" She elaborated, saying that they had seen me on Rose St., and she had told her boyfriend "If we ever get married she has to play at our wedding," and he agreed. Nice red hair and red bag.

2. Finally, finally people complimented my skirt! At least three [women]! One was on a moving bicycle.

3. A big sister escorted her little brother by for a listen, and the brother was clutching a balloon adorably.

4. Another family stopped by with two little boys. I was going to offer them Flaca, but one boy beat me to it: he walked right up and asked, "What's that?" or something. I said, "This is my friend Flaca. Would you like to help her dance?" Unfortunately she was super tangled (she hasn't danced in a while), so I couldn't get her perfectly flexible, but the boy and his brother didn't mind. One boy asked, "Is she a puppet?" And they hadn't heard of Mexico. During this interaction, a photography student lingered nearby, and produced some good shots! Here's one; I love the shadow of Flaca:


Photo by Zygimantas Sapronas

I'm one of the few people (in addition to maybe a psychiatrist) that has "untangle flaca" on her to-do list!

5. A crow was going nuts with the squawking! Singing along?

6. A man slowly biked by with his hand extended holding a mitten. I thought he was going to drop the mitten in my box, but dropped money instead! That takes skill!

7. Toddler #1000 walked by. Him: "What's that?" Mom: "It's an accordion." Boy, mystified: "It's an accordion!!"

8. It was mostly younger folks tipping me here, but this sort of stern middle aged woman walked up, and just seriously said "That's lovely." Another man said "Hi Sophie, have a nice day!" I guess the sunshine was getting to everyone!

9. This spot is no secret for getting people's money, as evidenced by the half dozen other people out stopping people. Several were from the Red Cross. I asked one if she was after blood or money, and she said money. Can't help you there! She did ask me if I could play a certain Queen song I didn't recognize, and said she was just in a mood that needed Queen. I played her "Don't Stop Me Now," and she danced a little.

10. A boy and his grandmother were walking and eating something delicious. Without much forethought, the little boy reached into his blue coat pocked, pulled out some change, and dropped it in without consulting Grandma. Love that.

11. A dog and his human companion walked by, and the dog also decided to bark along! We've got a good three-piece band now.

12. Someone walked by wearing an ascot. 'Nuff said.

13. An old man with a big white beard biked by in shorts (brrr!). He looked like he wanted to talk, so I stopped playing. Sure enough, he waited a beat then asked, "Where does the smoke come out?" I wish I had a clever retort for that.

14. There were also two students in full dog costumes walking around with buckets. The brown dog (not the white spotted one) came over and said hi, saying he had enjoyed my music. That's my first animal tip!

15. As I was packing up, a man stopped by with coins. I apologized that I was done for the day, but he tipped anyway and said, "We need more music." Yes we do!

I finally quit because I was coooooold. I hadn't properly bundled up since it was so warm and sunny when I left (one pair of rights/socks, only three sweaters instead of six). This will undoubtedly be my new favorite spot! I think I can also maybe move some babysitting flyers if I draw more attention to them. Let's home we get more sunny days!

Love,
S^3