The Latest New Spot

Monday night, I walked the Quarter; seeing cops giving tickets to street musicians; and hearing street musicians warn me that the cops were "on a rampage," as one put it, and I thought about playing on Canal Street; but saw the whole street lined by cops.
They were there so that the people associated with the women's college basketball championship would be very safe when, after the game was over, they sallied forth in the direcition of either Bourbon Street, the casino, or both.
To the credit of the fans of both UConn and Louisville; they didn't riot after the game.
I decided not to play, deciding that the little bit of money in my pocket gave me a pass; and that certain segments of society tend to be over protective of college students; the girls especially; and so I used the bit of cash that I had saved as a "get out of jeopardy" card; had a few drinks and then went across the river.

Tuesday Night
As I had blogged about that afternoon, I was in very little mood to play music; and I attributed it to fatigue.
Somehow the one night of interrupted sleep last week factored in.
I went, anyway, and walked Royal Street and immediately got the sense that trade was slow in live music.
The final game of the womens college basketball championship was in progress; from which would flow a veritable tsunami of fans after the champion was crowned.
Lance
By, the way; before last night, I had only met two people named Lance. One was pretty cool, the second one was an ignorant jerk.
Last night, the universe in its infinite wisdom proffered  a tie breaker, I guess.
I was sitting on Canal Street with my guitar still in the case and propped next to me and thinking hard about what I would be playing if I even felt like doing it...
The tsunami hadn't started yet; there were just sporatic groups of ingoring, scowling and jabbering in foreign tongues, people walking past.
I was sipping on a Hurricane Lager; and it felt like flipping a coin.
Maybe the Hurricane would put me in the mood to take out the guitar and play; or maybe not.
Maybe saving the strings for a time when there was a "better" crowd would be prudent...
My Second Largest Tip Ever
Then, a guy in his twenties with a shaven head came by and was standing not too far from me and talking on his (whatever it was that took the picture above) phone.
I normally would have gotten the guitar out, just on the chance that he was hanging out for a moment to see if I was about to start playing. If it weren't for the added deterent of my ragged guitar case; which I have to bind with bungee cords and rope, and which it sometimes takes up to a minute to unknot, I probably would have took it out and at least plucked something rudimentary.
But, alas, such was the cynical state of mind that I was in; that I just sat there; waiting for inspiration to strike; or not...
The guy, whose name turned out to be Lance, was very curious about my existence and had a lot of intelligently worded questions about the logistics of being homeless; and how I basically managed it in the French Quarter.
I was able to give him a synopsis of what should be an upcoming book of mine: "Homelessness For Dummies" and made it a point to point out that the French Quarter has been about the most challenging environment to be homeless in.
To make a long story short; he wasn't  trying to "save" me; which is something that crossed my mind. This isn't to say that he wasn't a very good and spiritual man.
He was in town for a convention of some sorts. He works for some kind of group which focuses on something like the connection between the mind and the physiology.
I spent a lot of time discussing the "rules" for being homeless as I have divined them througout the past 12 years.
I think he really had a thirst for knowledge about the lifestyle; and encountering myself must have been a boon; since I can draw upon so many years of "experience," and point him to this very blog; for more insights and anecdotes.

He gave me the second biggest tip that I have made since I began busking.

I Own The Missing Bike
I got back across the river and paid Rob the balance of what I owed him for the bike which I had taken possession of and which was stolen an hour later off Bourbon Street.
Where To Invest
I am having an inner debate over how to spend that money in a way which will have it invested most wisely.
The decision to pay Rob off first came out of the fact that we had made a deal and I took the bike and was going to make payments on it. It wasn't Robs fault that it was soon thereafter stolen. I didn't want him to suspect foul play; and, the guy sleeps 25 feet away from me and I think that, making things right at home (much like charity) "starts at home..."
Even though, had I went and gotten an amplifier and let Rob wait another week; I may have been able to pay him several times over...
If I get new clothes, I will probably see a small increase in the money that I make.
If I get a new guitar case; I will be able to take my instrument out with a quick zip and play songs for those random tourists one might encounter who might say "Let's hear something,"
If I get another harmonica and neck brace, I will increase my income 50% (I have found), but I will be playing it in ragged clothes and still carrying my guitar around half falling out of its case...(but not for long...)
I will be patient and call both music stores in town asking about things like used cases and such....