The cardboard sign was stapled to a stick hammered into the ground; it showed an arrow pointing straight ahead to \u201cThe Set.\u201d\u00a0 Not good, I thought.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Along the path past Strawberry Fields, I checked in on the wood anemones.\u00a0 Having been beaten to the ground by this week\u2019s downpour, they\u2019d recovered a little.\u00a0 Both plants were flowering in the single digits.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t stop to count.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Across the road, another sign; this time it showed an arrow to \u201cSet #2.\u201d\u00a0 I briefly worried there\u2019d be no place to play, until I heard the acrobats\u2019 music coming from the promenade.\u00a0 Looking over the balustrade above Bethesda Fountain, I saw with relief that the place was all mine.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I got a handful of change from a kid passing by.\u00a0 From a handsomely dressed woman, more change which included, upon inspection, a Susan B.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A class of 20-25 fifth graders marched past.\u00a0 I asked the teacher in the lead, \u201cDoes this group have time for a hula today?\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cYou guys want to hula?\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
There was pandemonium.\u00a0 The kids grabbed the leis, posed and danced, before I could say a word about the hukilau, so I just started singing, \u201cWhat a beautiful day for fishing\u2026\u201d\u00a0 They were spread out around the fountain in a 45 degree arc.\u00a0 Kids in the middle jostled to star in their teacher\u2019s video, while kids on the edges barely moved.\u00a0 One girl danced beautifully, her eyes on me.\u00a0 After the first verse, those with leis gave them to those without, and the dance came to a riotous conclusion.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The teacher hustled everyone back in line.\u00a0 I collected the leis \u2013 one was broken \u2013 and put the solar hula girls back on their feet.\u00a0 The girl who had danced the lovely hula pulled a quarter from her skirt pocket and tossed it into my case.\u00a0 \u201cAloha.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A man who\u2019d been listening with his family got up and put a buck in my case.\u00a0 He was from Leeds.\u00a0 \u201cIn the north, like George Formby,\u201d he said, referring to the English music hall performer, star of stage and screen, and composer, in 1933, of \u201cWith My Little Ukulele in My Hand.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd like the Beatles,\u201d he bragged.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Beethoven,\u201d I added.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the Monkees.\u201d\u00a0 He walked off laughing.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A mom followed her 13-month-old daughter around the fountain.\u00a0 Whenever she toddled my way, I tried to lure her in for a hula, with mom\u2019s encouragement, but the kid wasn\u2019t interested.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A young man came off the bench and pitched a dollar into my case.\u00a0 \u201cThanks, man.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The kid came back.\u00a0 I picked up the torn lei and tied it back together to form a baby lei.\u00a0 She inched closer.\u00a0 I turned and slowly waved the lei, like a hypnotist might wave a pocket watch.\u00a0 She took another step closer.\u00a0 We locked eyes and I gave her my big Mr. Ukulele smile.\u00a0 Off she ran to mom, who swept her up and plopped her into her stroller.\u00a0 \u201cThank you,\u201d said mom, giving me me a dollar.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The change of seasons is palpable.\u00a0 The temperature stayed in the low 70s, and the breezes blew cool.\u00a0 I had $7.58 for my efforts today, and I barely broke a sweat.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"