On the first day of September, for some inexplicable reason, the cowboy set up on the opposite side of the fountain. I immediately claimed center stage. And just to prove, once again, that in matters of real estate location is everything, I made $17, multiples of August\u2019s paltry daily take, in fact, the best since mid-June.<\/p>\n
A man with a backpack started me off, then a tween from Toronto danced for her mom. Three Spanish beauties romped around, waving their arms above their heads, as if they were palm trees in the breeze. An Australian man, whom I mistook for English, feigned insult, yet still dumped more than a dollar in change in my case.<\/p>\n
A 60-something lady gave me money. I was playing \u201cMy Baby Just Cares for Me.\u201d \u201cDon\u2019t go yet,\u201d I said. \u201cI wrote a second verse.\u201d At the final chord, she clapped twice, turned and headed for the stairs.<\/p>\n
A Brazilian man heard me playing \u201cAll of Me,\u201d and wanted to sing it with me. \u201cCan you play it in D?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,” I said. “Try this.\u201d I played it in the only key I know, which is B, more or less. He sang beautifully, while I quietly filled in the English lyric when he stumbled. He was singing to his wife, who listened adoringly. He gave me $2, and went away complaining that the key was all wrong. I put the bills in my case, and noticed that someone had tossed in some change, including a Sacagawea dollar.<\/p>\n
A lady from St. Louis put a dollar in my case, saying, \u201cCan I ask you a question? My friend and I think you\u2019re retired from Wall St. and just doing this for a lark.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou and your friend pretty much nailed it,\u201d I said. \u201cI am retired, this is a lark, and my office was downtown, but I didn\u2019t work for a Wall St. firm, Wall St. firms were my clients.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were a lawyer?\u201d She added, \u201cI\u2019m so nosey.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was a salesman, of technology services.\u201d<\/p>\n
After talking about St. Louis for a while, she went back to her friend on the bench by the water, their curiosity satisfied.<\/p>\n
A bridal party showed up at the fountain while I was packing up. The photographer posed the couple near me. Seated behind my case, I picked up my uke and launched into \u201cThe Hawaiian Wedding Song.\u201d The photographer smiled, but otherwise the picture-taking went on as if I weren\u2019t there. After the coda, \u201cI do\/love you\/with all my heart,\u201d I put my uke away. The bridal party moved off. Last to leave were a pair of parents.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou probably thought I was going to stiff you,\u201d said the man, putting 4 quarters in my hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou must be the father of the bride.\u201d He nodded. \u201cIf you want to stiff me, it would be okay. I understand. You\u2019ve probably been reaching into your pocket all day.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, no, you\u2019re the least of it,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd besides, you sang beautifully.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"