Overcast, with a cool breeze. Entering the park, I spot the thriving cosmos, as tall as the wall now, blooming pink, white and red. The rose bushes sport a few flowers, but are getting a bit hippy. The crowds seem thin; perhaps it\u2019s the threat of rain, or maybe the Wednesday matinees. No one\u2019s playing at the fountain, so today I dare to take center stage.<\/p>\n
Often at Bethesda Fountain I obverse a peculiar tourist behavior. Although Mr. Ukulele, that energetically appealing, if somewhat talent-challenged, old man crooning island-themed ditties, is standing right in front of them, they choose to throw their money in the water instead of in his case. Dad positions his little girl for the camera, keeping me out of frame, then in go a couple of coins, plop, plop. He hustles her away, ignoring my question: \u201cGot time for a hula today?\u201d Mom clutches her purse, as if I meant to snatch it. Yet Aloha is preserved, because later in the day, a homeless man will wade through the fountain pool, searching for the silvery glint of little girls\u2019 wishes.<\/p>\n
A man proudly watched his daughter hula, then asked me how much for the lei. Ordinarily I will not sell them, answering, \u201cCan\u2019t do that, these are my means of production.\u201d Today, however, I asked for a dollar. He was halfway up the path to the boathouse when he turned back, waving another dollar. \u201cYou want to pay me twice?\u201d I asked. He grabbed another lei. \u201cIt is always the case,\u201d he explained in a lilting accent, \u201cwhen a man has two daughters.\u201d<\/p>\n
A woman took my card. She was planning a family reunion at the Jersey shore and might want to hire me to be a roving minstrel among 50-60 relations of all ages. That\u2019s twice this month someone\u2019s asked about my availability as party entertainment; my career seems about to take off.<\/p>\n
Three young men from Montreal lingered. \u201cMy friend here plays the uke.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, yeah, let\u2019s hear what you can do,\u201d offering him the instrument.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow?\u201d he asked, then realizing there was no later, he took the uke, located a few chords, and smiled up at his friends. \u201cRiptide,\u201d he announced, and his friends joyfully joined in. Afterward, there were pictures, and a crisp ten-spot in my case.<\/p>\n
After an hour the sun broke through the clouds. I thought I should probably move to my shady spot on the path, but instead I soldiered on, with $20.19 for my efforts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"