It's Wednesday

From The Third Quarter; Saints vs. Giants

The weather
is kind of in the news, as the temperatures have been dropping into the 40's at night recently.
This was a burden on Monday night, when I went to the Superdome to play guitar outside.
There was a merchant to the left of me yelling "Ice cold beer; ice cold water!"
I soon had composed a song called "Ice Cold Music," which I prefer to think went over the heads of many, rather than think that I only made about 7 bucks because the song sucked.
Soon, I couldn't hold on to my pick, due to the numbness in my fingers. I dropped my favorite one and never found it. Then, I broke a string.
I could have sat there and just banged on the instrument and made more money, I'm pretty sure of it, but again, to do that makes me feel too much like a beggar, rather than someone with something to offer.
I went to Rouse's Market (the huge one near the stadium which is newly opened) and bought a Pauliner Double Bock beer for $2.50, and that was my Monday night. The Saints killed the Giants, but I wasn't there to feed on the carcass.
Tuesday was forgettable.
I went to the music store; "bright and early" (at 11 a.m), to get a replacement for the string which had broken outside the Mercedes Benz  Superdome the previous night, after working about 4 hours on a story which will be a Friday Flashback feature, one of these Fridays.
I could see along the way to the music store that the city was devoid of human beings, except for the bored looking ones, standing behind bars and at the doors of restaurants, holding menus. I heard a bartender from one bar, who had walked into another bar, ask the other bartender "Are you guys as slow as us?" I didn't wait to hear the reply; they were the only two people in the place...
The music store guy confirmed that it had been "dead" all day.
I played anyways, about 50 feet from a table of diners at a restaurant.
A man came by, holding a little girl, whom he placed down in front of me and to whom I played "First I Need To Be In Tune" which I made up as I tweaked my strings. Then, I played a bit of China Cat Sunflower, to her visible amusement. The man gave her three dollars, which she placed in my case.
Then, a couple of the diners, who had been hearing me for an hour at that point, threw a couple more dollars on their way past me, and, on a night when only a dozen people walked past, I made about 5 bucks.
A Box, Inside A Box, Inside A Box...
Then, I went onto Royal street and stole a glance towards Rouse's Market and beheld a sight which immediately altered my mood toward the positive.

The nice Butterfly plays while a random
tourist shows give Aiko some attention.
Often, tourist leave food for musican's
dogs, which doesn't always necessarily
reach the animal's stomach.
The guy on guitar, is someone I don't know,
but, for some subconscious reason,
I hate him!!

It was none other than the nice "Butterfly," getting ready to play and sing the blues. She had her medium sized black bulldog, Aiko with her, who was restless, and with whom she struggled.
I wound up getting a can of salmon, some green peas and carrots, and a small bottle of vinegar and making one of my "gourmet meals for under 4 dollars," which I will feature in a chapter of my upcoming work: "Homelessness For Dummies."
Aiko was straining his leash (and chomping at the bit, for that matter) on the other side of the street, as I ate and listened to Butterfly, seemingly trying to get its nose as close to what I was eating as possible. The slight breeze was drifting his way, redolent with the mouth watering fragrance of my salmon and green pea masterpiece.
In between songs, and with pretty much a full stomach, I asked Butterfly if it was alright if I gave Aiko some salmon.
"Oh, Yes!!" gushed Butterfly. Who then continued to giggle and squeal and thank me profusely as Aiko made sure there was not even a trace element of salmon on either of my hands.
Butterfly goes through life, it seems to me, like a person opening one of those gifts which turns out to be a box inside a box inside a box. Only, she is getting so much delight from opening the packages that she is actually glad when it is just another box, and not the gift (but the gift is coming). I think I am the same way, when it comes to Butterfly.