The gomphrena has grown tall, the button-like flowers towering over the celosia, the pink conic flowers of which have turned into gray cones, like bottle brushes. The wood anemones along the path have grown up in 2 locations, both as tall as me and bursting with buds.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
At Bethesda Fountain, Lady Liberty, in shades, has wrapped a flag around a tourist for a photo op.\u00a0 Snake man is there, as is the big bubble man.\u00a0 Looking good for me, I thought, until I spotted the cowboy.\u00a0 \u201cAre you coming back?\u201d he asked as I walked by.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably not.\u00a0 Once I set up, I don\u2019t like to move.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Under the maple, I laid out my paraphernalia and started my set.\u00a0 A woman with her daughter walked by.\u00a0 \u201cHave you got time for a hula today?\u201d\u00a0 She laughed, then stopped a few steps past me.\u00a0 \u201cChange your mind?\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cJust listening.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I was playing \u201cFit as a Fiddle.\u201d\u00a0 When I finished, she dropped 65 cents in my case.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A Muslim couple walked by with their young daughter.\u00a0 Mom wore a hijab, dad pushed an empty stroller, and the little girl toddled up to me and started dancing.\u00a0 Her dance consisted of bending her knees and bobbing her head.\u00a0 Since I was already playing a song in G, \u201cI Can\u2019t Give You Anything but Love,\u201d it was an easy transition into \u201cThe Hukilau Song,\u201d also in G.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A man of 35 or so was enchanted with the scene.\u00a0 During the dance, he dug a dollar out of his wallet and placed it in my case.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re terrific,\u201d he said.\u00a0 At the end, mom gave me a dollar too.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Two moms and 3 daughters walked by.\u00a0 \u201cHave you got time for a hula today?\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
One mom answered, \u201cWe might.\u201d\u00a0 She polled the girls, 2 of whom were up for it, 1 was too shy.\u00a0 Once more, we went to the hukilau.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve got it,\u201d one mom told the other.\u00a0 At the end of the dance, she gave each girl a single to put in my case.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cYou guys from New York?\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cChicago, the other big city.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
My set complete, I pocketed $4.65.\u00a0 In the cool shade of the maple, I\u2019d hardly broken a sweat.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"