The Luxury Of Sitting

Well, this is a fine kettle of fish.
It is Veterans Day and so there were hardly any business people this morning at the Big Clock spot. I made back the 2 bucks that I had spent on a coffee.
I definitely play better in the morning on coffee than I do at night on beer, as evidenced by the recording which I just deleted which I had made last night in the park.
It rained for about 20 minutes, forcing me with my 2 dollars off of my spot and into this coffee shop.
Mobile is just basically a low paying busking town.
Friday night, I played the Artwalk and made about 14 bucks.
Most of the people seemed to be in the hunt for the freebies like wine and cheese, which are doled out at the different galleries. They were in the "something for nothing" frame of mind and it was reflected by my tip jar.
The guys who played in front of the A&M Peanut Shop (banjo, trombone and saxaphone, this time) said that they had split 38 bucks between the three of them, so they made about the same 14 bucks each that I did...small consolation that it was.
A few things are on my mind recently.
First, the words of the other homeless people who told me not to try to slee "east of Broad Street" are still ringing in me ears and there is a disquieting feeling that I have as I lay at my sleeping spot, well east of Broad Street. Any night now "the other shoe" could drop and that spot could be "blown up."

The weather forecast is for cold air to come blowing in the next few days.

Yesterday, I walked up Government Street to a gas station which had been selling 16 oz. Four Loco beverages for 50 cents each, meaning I could take care of all my drinking needs for the day at $1.50 out of pocket.

The special had ended, and to make matters worse "the guy who wants you to play him something and then wants to play your guitar" was there, in the form a a heavy set, older black man, who was wearing a security guard uniform, leading me to believe that he might have a dollar or two on him.
I played a couple songs, he complimented me profusely on my "clear chords" and then asked "Do you mind if I try a song?"
I handed him the Jasmine, which he began to play a very simple 2 chords on. 
Then, he began to say "I take dollars; change, anything!" to the people who were coming and going. He said it with a smile, as if he was just kidding around, but I got the feeling that he was flat broke and had seen me as someone to "get over on" as part of a hustle.
I grabbed the Jasmine back from him before anyone could throw him a nickel, because I was pretty sure that he wasn't going to split that nickel with me at all. I wasn't going to be used like that.
That is the decision which must be made whenever some random person say's "Play me something, I want to hear some music."
In this case, the area of town that I was in was a key factor. It is in a crack infested area where people are waiting around like fleas waiting for something to jump on.
Then, I went up the street to the recycling center, to try to find crossword puzzles and magazines to read.
An older lady asked me "What are you looking for, in particular?"
I told her and she led me to a bookshelf which was in a different part of the place and where where organized magazines like National Geographic and The New Yorker of which I grabbed a couple each.
She then gave me 20 dollars and told me where I could get warm clothing this coming Wednesday, at her church.
It is 59 degrees and windy outside at 11 a.m.
I played "Monday, Monday," by The Mamas and the Papas this morning at the Big Clock spot, after sounding out the chords to it. I suppose that I will be around Wednesday, to try to get a warm jacket or something., and that will make it practical to stay yet one more weekend here, to try to make some decent money -the third attempt to do so, with only one 65 dollar night to show for it.
The 65 dollar night was the first one that I played here, making me think about staying longer than originally planned. Once again, Mobile has pulled the football away ala Lucy of The Peanuts and the phrase "I'm just trying to come up with enough money to leave town with" has become a curse, guaranteed to make money flow come to a screeching halt, no matter how diligently I screech away.

Downtown Tucson; Mind If I Busk Here??

So, that is about it, to recap the whole weekend. It wasn't really blog-worthy and I'm not in the mood for making up some fake exciting stuff that never happened.
I went to Dollar General with the 20 dollars from the lady and the 10 dollars that I had left over from the bleak weekend, and I bought some lotion, three pens, a bottle of 70% isopropyl alcohol, some toothpaste and an energy drink and splurged on a 504 piece jigsaw puzzle for a dollar.
I tried the alcohol in the little stove that I got from Alex in California (one of the few things that has remained in my possession -amazing how the cops will take an alarm clock yet leave a stove...we can get him for an illegal fire if he tries to use this somewhere...) but discovered that it wouldn't burn. I still feasted upon raw ground turkey, seasoned profusely and wrapped in tortillas.
This morning, I woke up before sunup drank the energy drink and was at the Clock Spot at 7 a.m. sharp. Only, it was Veterans Day, as noted above.
I still haven't gotten an alarm clock. I'm waiting until I can find one for a dollar or two.
Now, I have the "luxury" of sitting at my spot, reading magazines and putting together the 504 piece puzzle on a piece of cardboard.
I'll try to play every morning and a bit each night; and set my sights on hopping on the train, headed for Tucson, Arizona for at least the couple of cold months that are coming and that I'm not in the mood for...